


EOTW: Book One: Faded Boundaries

by Jayie_The_Hufflepuff



Series: Warriors: Series 5.5: Echoes of the War [1]
Category: Warrior Cats - Fandom, Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-09
Updated: 2015-05-09
Packaged: 2018-03-29 18:27:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 28
Words: 79,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3906298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jayie_The_Hufflepuff/pseuds/Jayie_The_Hufflepuff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>First book of the Echoes of the War series, my fifth series of warriors, a continuation of Omen of the Stars. As the lake that nourishes the Clans threatens to drive them apart, one cat makes a stand for what's right and places her paws on the path of a great destiny. Bramblestar's Storm is not canon to this universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Allegiances

Faded Boundries Allegiances

**THUNDERCLAN**

**LEADER**

[BRAMBLESTAR](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Bramblestar-of-ThunderClan-391483499) \- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes  
    APPRENTICE, [LILYPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Lilypaw-of-ThunderClan-519232451)

**DEPUTY**

[SQUIRRELFLIGHT](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Squirrelflight-of-ThunderClan-392332490?ga_submit_new=10%253A1376192002&ga_type=edit&ga_changes=1&ga_recent=1) \- dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

**MEDICINE CAT**

[JAYFEATHER](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Jayfeather-of-ThunderClan-392676936?ga_submit_new=10%253A1376320460&ga_type=edit&ga_changes=1&ga_recent=1) \- gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

**WARRIORS**

[LEAFPOOL](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Leafpool-of-ThunderClan-396155311) \- light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, former medicine cat  
[BIRCHFALL](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Birchfall-of-ThunderClan-458786507) \- light brown tabby tom  
[BERRYNOSE](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Berrynose-of-ThunderClan-509172863) \- cream-colored tom  
    APPRENTICE, [AMBERPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Amberpaw-of-ThunderClan-519634454)  
[MOUSEWHISKER](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Mousewhisker-of-ThunderClan-510479064) \- gray-and-white tom  
    APPRENTICE, [SNOWPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Snowpaw-of-ThunderClan-519646296)  
[LIONBLAZE](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Lionblaze-of-ThunderClan-510715544) \- golden tabby tom with amber eyes  
[POPPYFROST](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Poppyfrost-of-ThunderClan-516714674) \- tortoiseshell she-cat  
[FOXLEAP](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Foxleap-of-ThunderClan-512244090) \- reddish tabby tom  
[TOADSTEP](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Toadstep-of-ThunderClan-518658201) \- black-and-white tom  
    APPRENTICE, [SEEDPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Seedpaw-of-ThunderClan-519602303)  
[BLOSSOMFALL](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Blossomfall-of-ThunderClan-518893125) \- tortoiseshell and white she-cat  
    APPRENTICE, [DEWPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Dewpaw-of-ThunderClan-519799364)  
[BUMBLESTRIPE](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Bumblestripe-of-ThunderClan-519001994) \- very pale gray tom with black stripes  
[IVYPOOL](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Ivypool-of-ThunderClan-519020823) \- silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes  
[MOLEFOOT](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Molefoot-of-ThunderClan-519109249) \- brown-and-cream tom

**APPRENTICES**

[LILYPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Lilypaw-of-ThunderClan-519232451) \-  dark tabby she-cat with patches  
[SEEDPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Seedpaw-of-ThunderClan-519602303) \- very pale ginger she-cat  
[AMBERPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Amberpaw-of-ThunderClan-519634454) \- very small gray-and-white she-cat  
[SNOWPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Snowpaw-of-ThunderClan-519646296) \- white tom with amber eyes  
[DEWPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Dewpaw-of-ThunderClan-519799364) \- long-haired gray tom

**QUEENS**

[CINDERHEART](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Cinderheart-of-ThunderClan-524832743) \- gray tabby she-cat, mother of Lionblaze's kits (mother of [Silentkit](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Silentpaw-of-ThunderClan-388179416), a black she-cat with a white stripe, and [Blazekit](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Blazepaw-of-ThunderClan-388256724), a pale ginger tabby tom with green eyes)    
[ROSEPETAL](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Rosepetal-of-ThunderClan-525000095) \- dark cream she-cat, mother of Molefoot's kits (mother of [Sparkkit](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Sparkkit-of-ThunderClan-525297475), a dark cream-and-white tom, and [Lightkit](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Lightkit-of-ThunderClan-525497506), a light brown tom with white paws)  
[HAZELTAIL](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Hazeltail-of-ThunderClan-525004532) \- small gray-and-white she-cat, mother of Foxleap's kits (mother of [Finchkit](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Finchkit-of-ThunderClan-525712684), a pale ginger tabby tom with white, and [Petalkit](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Petalkit-of-ThunderClan-525713080), a pale gray she-cat with blue eyes)  
[DOVEWING](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Dovewing-of-ThunderClan-525061339) \- pale gray she-cat with golden eyes, mother of Bumblestripe's kits  
[DAISY](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Daisy-of-ThunderClan-525010660) \- cream long-furred cat from the horseplace

**ELDERS**

[CLOUDTAIL](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Cloudtail-of-ThunderClan-525932335) \- long-haired white tom with blue eyes  
[BRIGHTHEART](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Brightheart-of-ThunderClan-526082031) \- white she-cat with ginger patches  
[MILLIE](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Millie-of-ThunderClan-526113186) \- striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes  
[SPIDERLEG](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Spiderleg-of-ThunderClan-526139506) \- long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes  
[SORRELTAIL](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Sorreltail-of-ThunderClan-526167216) \- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

 

**SHADOWCLAN**

**LEADER**

[ROWANSTAR](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Rowanstar-of-ShadowClan-392031429) \- ginger tom

**DEPUTY**

[OAKFUR](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Oakfur-of-ShadowClan-392333749) \- small brown tom

**MEDICINE CAT**

[TWIGCLAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Twigclaw-of-ShadowClan-392854723) \- stump-tailed brown tabby tom

**WARRIORS**

[SMOKEFOOT](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Smokefoot-of-ShadowClan-461965772) \- black tom  
    APPRENTICE, [MARSHPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Marshpaw-of-ShadowClan-519135299)  
[TIGERHEART](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Tigerheart-of-ShadowClan-508531743) \- dark brown tabby tom  
[SNOWBIRD](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Snowbird-of-ShadowClan-510290710) \- pure white she-cat  
[OLIVENOSE](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Olivenose-of-ShadowClan-510500613) \- tortoiseshell she-cat  
[SHREWFOOT](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Shrewfoot-of-Shadowclan-510737892) \- gray she-cat with black feet  
[DEWFROST](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Dewfrost-of-ShadowClan-512267697) \- gray she-cat  
[WETWHISKER](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Wetwhisker-of-ShadowClan-516747670) \- dark tabby tom  
    APPRENTICE, [STONEPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Stonepaw-of-ShadowClan-519594866)  
[SPECKLEFOOT](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Specklefoot-of-ShadowClan-518704689) \- pale tortoiseshell she-cat  
[TREESHADOW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Treeshadow-of-ShadowClan-518931281) \- dark brown she-cat

**QUEENS**

[PINENOSE](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Pinenose-of-ShadowClan-519822524) \- black she-cat  
[APPLEFUR](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Applefur-of-ShadowClan-524833087) \- mottled brown she-cat  
[DAWNPELT](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Dawnpelt-of-ShadowClan-525002976) \- cream-furred she-cat, (mother of [Stripedkit](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Stripedkit-of-ShadowClan-525306807), a dark brown tabby tom, and [Smokekit](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Smokekit-of-ShadowClan-525296904), a dark cream she-cat)  
[TAWNYPELT](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Tawnypelt-of-ShadowClan-525006686) \- tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

**ELDERS**

[TOADFOOT](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Toadfoot-of-ShadowClan-525931332) \- dark brown tom  
[CROWFROST](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Crowfrost-of-ShadowClan-525932798) \- black-and-white tom  
[RATSCAR](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Ratscar-of-ShadowClan-526089069) \- brown tom with long scar across his back

 

**WINDCLAN**

**LEADER**

[ASHSTAR](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Ashstar-of-WindClan-392079319) \- gray she-cat

**DEPUTY**

[WEASELFUR](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Weaselfur-of-WindClan-392579372) \- ginger tom with white paws

**MEDICINE CAT**

[KESTRELFLIGHT](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Kestrelflight-of-WindClan-392856384) \- mottled brown tom  
    APPRENTICE, [ICEPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Icepaw-of-WindClan-519189979)

**WARRIORS**

[CROWFEATHER](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Crowfeather-of-WindClan-508518322) \- dark gray tom  
[GORSETAIL](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Gorsetail-of-WindClan-508828260) \- very pale gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes  
[HARESPRING](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Harespring-of-WindClan-510313956) \- brown-and-white tom  
[EMBERFOOT](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Emberfoot-of-WindClan-510515552) \- gray tom with two dark paws  
     APPRENTICE, [QUICKPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Quickpaw-of-WindClan-391481587)  
[HEATHERTAIL](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Heathertail-of-WindClan-510911964) \- light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Breezepelt's kits  
[SEDGEWHISKER](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Sedgewhisker-of-WindClan-516710081) \- light brown tabby she-cat  
[CROUCHFOOT](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Crouchfoot-of-WindClan-518092501) \- black tom  
[LARKSONG](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Larksong-of-WindClan-518733296) \- gray she-cat with green eyes  
[DARKBREEZE](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Darkbreeze-of-WindClan-391038738?ga_submit_new=10%253A1375748590) \- dark gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes, kit of Heathertail and Breezepelt  
[NIGHTFERN](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Nightfern-of-WindClan-391081809?ga_submit_new=10%253A1375760800) \- brown mottled she-cat with amber eyes, kit of Heathertail and Breezepelt

**QUEENS**

[SUNSTRIKE](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Sunstrike-of-WindClan-520216861) \- tortoiseshell she-cat with large white mark on her forehead

 

**RIVERCLAN**

**LEADER**

[MISTYSTAR](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Mistystar-of-RiverClan-392081286) \- blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes

**DEPUTY**

[REEDWHISKER](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Reedwhisker-of-RiverClan-392580080?ga_submit_new=10%253A1376277355&ga_type=edit&ga_changes=1&ga_recent=1) \- black tom

**MEDICINE CAT**

[WILLOWSHINE](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Willowshine-of-RiverClan-392856748) \- gray tabby she-cat

**WARRIORS**

[MINNOWTAIL](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Minowtail-of-RiverClan-508519652) \- dark gray she-cat  
[MALLOWNOSE](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Mallownose-of-RiverClan-508939970) \- light brown tabby tom  
[ROBINWING](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Robinwing-of-RiverClan-510459273) \- tortoiseshell-and-white tom  
[PETALFUR](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Petalfur-of-RiverClan-510675279) \- gray-and-white she-cat  
    APPRENTICE, [YARROWPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Yarrowpaw-of-RiverClan-519225901)  
[GRASSPELT](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Grasspelt-of-RiverClan-512191120) \- light brown tom  
[MOSSYFOOT](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Mossyfoot-of-RiverClan-516711306) \- brown-and-white she-cat  
     APPRENTICE, [FINPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Finpaw-of-RiverClan-391170082?ga_submit_new=10%253A1375801579) (sleek dark gray she-cat with dark amber eyes)  
[RUSHTAIL](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Rushtail-of-RiverClan-518622664) \- light brown tabby tom  
[HERONSTRIKE](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Heronstrike-of-RiverClan-518770733) \- brown tabby tom  
[LEAFDRIFT](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Leafdrift-of-RiverClan-518956833) \- pale gray she-cat  
     APPRENTICE, [EELPAW](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Eelpaw-of-RiverClan-391481335) (sleek dark gray tom with pale amber eyes)  
[PONDBREEZE](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Pondbreeze-of-RiverClan-519007316) \- dark brown tom with white paws

**QUEENS**

[DUSKFUR](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Duskfur-of-RiverClan-523894012) \- brown tabby she-cat  
[SILVERSHINE](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Silvershine-of-RiverClan-524833755) \- silver tabby she-cat

**ELDERS**

[GRAYMIST](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Graymist-of-RiverClan-525931980) \- pale gray tabby she-cat  
[POUNCETAIL](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Pouncetail-of-RiverClan-526081067) \- ginger-and-white tom

 

**CATS OUTSIDE THE CLAN**

[SMOKEY](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Smoky-the-Horseplace-Cat-526167909) \- muscular gray-and-white tom who lives in a barn at the horseplace  
[FLOSS](http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Floss-the-Horseplace-Cat-526256681) \- small gray-and-white she-cat who lives at the horseplace


	2. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jayfeather receives a sign.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Prologue

     The night breeze blew into the medicine den, causing the small tom to shudder irritably. He lifted his nose, sniffing the air tenitively. The frigid air of leaf-bare offered no hint of warmth. It would be several moons before the forest was warm again.  
   
     Jayfeather could hear his Clanmates shivering and mewling in hunger from his den. It had been a hard leaf-bare. Graystripe, Dustpelt, and Lichenkit, Lionblaze and Cinderheart's youngest kit, had already succumbed to the cold, and Cherrypaw had gotten seriously ill. The young she-cat lay on the floor of Jayfeather's den, a low moan issuing from her throat. The death of Lichenkit had been especially hard on Jayfeather. The poor little scrap had looked almost exactly like Lionblaze; he had seen her once in a vision. He knew how heartbroken his brother had been about it. Jayfeather himself had grieved over his niece as any father would. Since he and his long-dead love Half Moon could never bear kits, he had taken to his brother's kits as though they were his own. He liked to think that he and Half Moon would have been their parents, had things been different.

     The medicine cat shook his head irritably, his thoughts pushed roughly from his head. _Stop daydreaming!_ He had to focus on helping his Clanmates. More cats would be lost to the cold if their medicine cat was lost in thought. The trouble was there wasn't much Jayfeather could do. The frost had killed all the herbs, and prey was scarce. From what Dovewing had told the medicine cat, it was the same way in the other three Clans. _Mouse dung!_ He cursed inwardly. _I've got the power of the stars in my paws, yet all I can do is sit around while my Clanmates die around me! Fighting the Dark Forest was easier than this._  
   
     Paw steps woke Jayfeather from his bitter thoughts. The lichen in front of his den was shifted, and he could hear a cat breathing by the entrance. A familiar scent drifted towards him. "Jayfeather?" It was Lilypaw, Bramblestar's apprentice.  
   
     The gray tabby got shakily to his paws. He'd been giving up most of his prey to Cinderheart, Rosepetal, and Hazeltail, the Clan's three queens, so he was a little weak. "What do you want?" He grumbled. Hunger sharpened his tongue, like every other cat.  
   
     Jayfeather could sense Lilypaw's concern and unease. She didn't even seem to recognize the snap in the medicine cat's voice. "Lionblaze wants to see you." She mewed hesitantly.  
   
     Jayfeather's heart froze. _No. Not again._ The image of Lichenkit's frozen body forced its way to the front of Jayfeather's mind. He barged past Lilypaw, shouting over his shoulder, "Keep an eye on Cherrypaw!" He raced to the nursery, his heart pounding with terror.  
   
     The tom skidded to a halt at the mouth of the nursery, panting at the effort the short run had cost him. He sniffed the air cautiously, dreading the thought of smelling another dead kit. "What's wrong?" He demanded. "Are Silentkit and Blazekit okay?"  
   
     He heard Cinderheart lift her head and Lionblaze get to his paws. Jayfeather could sense Cinderheart's relief at seeing him, then her emotions closed off abruptly, and her mind barred itself against him. That was how so many cats were acting around him now. Now that the secret was out, and every cat knew what the Three could do. Everyone except for some of the older, more experienced cats seemed spooked by the idea that their medicine cat could read their thoughts. Jayfeather could easily get around Cinderheart's defenses, but he had no wish to. It was Lionblaze he wanted information from right now.  
   
     He scanned Lionblaze's thoughts briefly. His brother didn't make as much of an effort to hide his thoughts from Jayfeather as the others, so it  was easy to raid his mind. Jayfeather let out a sigh of relief when he realized that all Lionblaze was feeling was worry, not grief.  
   
     The massive tom padded up to his brother. "Silentkit and Blazekit opened their eyes yesterday." He began hesitantly.  
   
     Jayfeather grew uneasy. "Is that what you brought me here to tell me?" He asked drily, although fear clenched his heart. He knew what Lionblaze was going to say, but he needed to hear it anyway.  
   
     Lionblaze sighed. "Jayfeather I think Silentkit is blind."  
   
     The gray tabby's memories were instantly thrown back to the day of Silentkit's birth. It had been a hard labour, and Cinderheart had been weak from cold and hunger. All three of her kits were weak and small, but they had all survived the birthing. Jayfeather had been congradulating the couple when his sight suddenly returned. He could see Lichenkit, Blazekit, and Silentkit, all suckling weakly at their mother's stomach. Silentkit was odd in that she hadn't cried out after birth, as most kittens did. From the start, she'd been the weakest of the kits, hardly bigger then a baby bird. It'd been days before she'd let out her first mewl, as though she'd been waiting to see if she'd make it at all before she announced herself to the world. She'd been tiny, her jet-black fur plastered down to her body. A small white stripe lay between her eyes, running down to her nose. Even then, as a newborn kit, she had reminded Jayfeather of his late sister, Hollyleaf.  
   
     Yellowfang's foul scent had rolled over him, and her raspy voice sounded in his ears. "Remember this one, Jayfeather. You must help her meet her destiny." The old she-cat paused, and when she spoke again, her voice had been smoothed of age . "Dark times are coming. Only blind loyalty and silent sacrifice will save the Clans."  
   
     "Jayfeather? Are you listening?"  
   
     Jayfeather was jerked back into reality by Lionblaze's sharp words. He shook his head of the vision, wondering what in StarClan's name was supposed to happen next. "Let me check." He mewed. The blind tom reached out towards Silentkit's scent, gently pulling the kit closer to him. He took a quick breath before plunging into the kit's thoughts, searching through her memories for any hint of color or light. But there was none there. The kit's memories were all as dark as Jayfeather's sight.  
   
     Jayfeather blinked in shock. _She_ is _blind! Oh StarClan, what next?_ The tabby tom froze in horror as he realized the depth of this revelation. Silentkit would never be able to see, not even in her dreams like Jayfeather could. She would never understand the concept of sight. The poor kit might never be a full part of ThunderClan.  
   
     Jayfeather hung his head. "I'm sorry." He whispered.  
   
     He heard a sharp intake of breath from Cinderheart, and despair burst through her guarded thoughts like water from a dam. Lionblaze's thoughts were a torrent of anger, despair, and in the end, resignation. "This is my fault." The huge tom murmured. "I'm the one related to a blind cat. I did this to our daughter."

     Jayfeather snarled softly at Lionblaze's careless reference to his blindness, but he didn't retort for once. He too was in a state of shock. _What if you're wrong, Yellowfang?_ He wailed internally. _How can she save her Clan without sight?_ He himself had only been of use because of his powers. How could this kit, without sight or the power of the stars in her paws, ever save ThunderClan?

     Suddenly, the world around him lit up. He was not in the nursery anymore, but deep in the forests of ThunderClan territory. Pale golden light streamed through the trees, painting the forest floor with light patterns. A few paces from the medicine cat stood a lone cat. The full-grown Silenkit was small like Jayfeather, but made of lean, hard muscle that rippled under her glossy pelt. Her midnight black fur was short and shiny, unlike the fluffier Hollyleaf, but the resemblance was still there in the color of her fur and the shape of her head.

     The she-cat stood before Jayfeather, strong and powerful and confident, her gray eyes blazing with fierce loyalty. A sweet scent wove around Jayfeather, heart-achingly familiar. He let out a slight moan. "Half Moon."

     Her gentle voice sounded in his ear. "Help her, Jay's Wing. Guide her paws on the right path. She must become a true warrior to prepare for what is coming. Have faith in her strength."

     Her scent began to fade, and the forest around the tom grew darker. Jayfeather started to panic. "No, Half Moon!" He gasped. "Don't leave!"

     Her voice was faint now. "I will always walk beside you, Jay's Wing." As the scents and sounds of the nursery returned to Jayfeather, he was only just able to catch her last words. "Until the day you come to join me."

     The darkness around Jayfeather and the cold air of leaf-bare returned the medicine cat to his senses. He was blind once more.

     Rosepetal's voice sounded from across the nursery. "She can't be a warrior then." Her voice was gentle with pity. The queen groaned as she shifted. Her kits were due in less than a moon, and her stomach was round and awkward. "Maybe she can train to be the next medicine cat?"

     The suggestion filled Jayfeather with panic. He desperately sorted through Cinderheart and Lionblaze's emotions, trying to find some spark of outrage or hope. Cold claws gripped his heart when he realized there was nothing but resignation and pity. He gritted his teeth in a snarl. _They would give up on their daughter so easily?_

     Something in Jayfeather snapped. "No!" Ignoring the other cats' alarm, he dragged Silentkit closer to him, where he could protect her. The skinny tom arched his back and gave a threatening hiss. "Silentkit's paws must walk another path. So what if she can't see?"

     He swung his head side to side, sightlessly glaring at any cat who might dare oppose him. "Silentkit is going to be a warrior, even if I have to train her myself!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are with the prologue of Faded Boundries. Just so you know, the Jayfeather POV is only a prologue thing. I hate to have to leave his POV, but I must. Anyway, more later. I really hope you guys like this, and that you don't think it's cheesy that I'll be working with another blind cat.


	3. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six moons have passed, and Silenkit and Blazekit are old enough to be apprenticed.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter One

     The snows of leaf-bare had long since melted, and the heat of green-leaf had descended on the forest. Prey was plentiful, and Silentkit could hear the warriors congratulating each other on their catches.

     In the nursery, Sparkkit was twitching in his sleep next to his mother, Rosepetal. His brother Lightkit dozed soundly between Rosepetal's paws. Hazeltail lay asleep with her kits, Finchkit and Petalkit. The newest queen, Dovewing, was sleeping in the far corner of the nursery, her belly round with Bumblestripe's kits. The tom was constantly visiting the nursery, bringing his mate feathers to line her nest and prey, or asking her anxiously if she was feeling alright and if he shouldn't have Jayfeather check in on her. Dovewing once joked that soon Bumblestripe would be offering to give birth for her, but Silentkit knew how much the queen loved her mate.

     Her own father also visited often, quick to join his kits in a play-fight. Silentkit and her brother Blazekit enjoyed climbing onto Lionblaze's broad shoulders and letting him carry them all around camp. Cinderheart often shook her head in exasperation at their rough-housing, but Silentkit loved it. After all, she would need her practice if she was going to be a great warrior.

     Pawsteps alerted her that another cat was approaching the nursery. She opened her mouth to taste the air, relaxing as the familiar scent of herbs and forest washed over her. It was Jayfeather, another frequent visitor to the nursery. The medicine cat had always been there for her and her brother, almost like a second father. His scent was familiar to her as her own. It smelled of herbs, and the moss and sand in the medicine den, and a bit more faintly of the forest beyond the camp. There was a hint of moor-scent there, but Silentkit never told him that. The skinny tom was prickly enough about his half-WindClan heritage as it was.

     She padded up to the entrance, waiting for Jayfeather to arrive. "Here again, are you?" She mewed drily.

     The medicine cat let out a _mrowr_ of laughter. "Can't sneak up on you, can I? Not even an apprentice, and you feel the need to show up the medicine cat." His sharp words were contradicted by the warmth in his tone. The two cats touched noses briefly, a purr rumbling in Silentkit's throat. The kit loved bantering with the grumpy medicine cat, meeting his scornful words with dry, sarcastic responses.

     Jayfeather stepped past the kit, his tone brisk. "Come on, I have to talk to your mother. You might as well come too, if you're determined to poke your nose in everywhere." Curious, Silentkit padded after the medicine cat, wondering why he needed to speak to her mother.

     The warm scents of the nursery swept over Silentkit once more, along with the sounds of a mewling kit. Finchkit and Petalkit, the youngest kits at one moon, must have woken up. Cinderheart raised her head as Jayfeather approached, her soft fur brushing against the moss in her nest as she shifted. "Hello Jayfeather. What brings you here?" Her tone was curious but wary. Silentkit pricked her ears with interest. What had put her mother out of ease?

     Jayfeather mewed gruffly, "Come with me. We need to talk to Bramblestar about your kits' apprentice ceremony." Silentkit gasped in excitement. _Finally!_ She'd been waiting for this day for moons.

     There was a short pause, while Cinderheart's tail lashed once against the ground uneasily. "Alright." She finally mewed. "But I'm not sure what good it will do." The queen got to her paws, her paws thumping softly on the sandy floor of the nursery as she followed Jayfeather out. Silentkit tried to go after them, but Jayfeather barred her with his tail. "Not this time, nosy." He growled. "Stay here with Rosepetal." He turned and padded out of the den.

     Silentkit stood alone, puzzled. What had her mother meant by that? _"I don't know what good it'll do."_ A sudden thought made her freeze. _Does she mean that our apprentice ceremony might be delayed?_

     Smaller pawsteps sounded from outside the nursery. Her littermate's scent drifted in from outside, growing steadily stronger. She lifted her head. "Blazekit?"

     The large kit padded into the den, his pelt smelling of strongly squirrel and more faintly of other prey. Silentkit could hear him carrying something somewhat clumsily. Judging by the scent, it was a squirrel. He dropped it at her paws. "I was just grabbing food." He seemed to notice the empty nest, for he asked, "Where did Cinderheart go?"

     Silentkit lifted her head, her mind made up. "She went to see Bramblestar, and we're going to follow her!" She announced, her tail held high.

     Blazekit sounded puzzled. "Why?" He had never been as adventurous as his sister.

     "Because they're talking about our apprentice ceremony." She informed him importantly. "We deserve to hear what they're saying."

     Her brother took in a sharp breath. "But we could get in big trouble! What if they delay our apprentice ceremony?"

     Silentkit hissed, "What if that's what they're talking about already? We need to find out!"

     The kit gave a resigned sigh. "Fine. Let's go then, while everyone's still asleep."

     Silentkit felt a rush of satisfaction. _At last!_ They'd wasted enough time arguing. She listened quick to seen if Dovewing was still asleep, for her powers would let her find them quicker than she could say "mouse." But the gray queen was snoring lightly, her paws twitching slightly. Hopefully she wouldn't wake before they got back.

     The kit led her brother out into the camp, sniffing the air cautiously for warriors. The dawn patrol had already left, most likely, and no one else had any reason to be up so early. She could hear the snores of warriors in the warrior den, and of the apprentice's and elders in their dens. She could hear voices coming from the leader's den, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. "We've got to get closer," she whispered to her brother.

     The two kits crept quietly to the rock face. There were cracks and nooks where you could climb up to the High Ledge, as Silentkit knew from experience, but there was no need. This was close enough to hear.

     Bramblestar's deep meow sounded from the den. "Honestly Jayfeather, I don't know why you're being so stubborn about this. Are you really thinking about what's best for her?"

     Silentkit was puzzled. _Her? Are they talking about me?_ She raised herself up on her hind legs, putting her front paws on the rock face.

     "Of course I am!" That was Jayfeather, his voice sharp and hostile. "You think she'd be happy in the medicine den with me?"

     Silentkit was puzzled. _What? Why are they talking about me being a medicine cat? That's mouse-brained!_ Bramblestar's voice came again. "Really Jayfeather, is this even about Silentkit? I remember how much you wanted to be a warrior..."

     Jayfeather's voice cut him off. "This is different!" He insisted. "It was always my destiny to be a medicine cat. But not Silentkit. You can't keep her from being a warrior just because she's blind!"

     Silentkit let out a gasp, no longer caring whether they heard her or not. Blazekit stiffened beside her, and silence fell in the leader's den. Finally, Jayfeather called out, "Silentkit, get in here. Blazekit, you too. I can sense you there."

     Still dazed, she began to climb up the rock face, Blazekit gently nudging her up the right path from behind. They finally reached the top, where Bramblestar, Cinderheart, and Jayfeather waited.

     Cinderheart rushed over to her kits, her fur bristling angrily. "I thought you two were supposed to stay in the nursery!" She scolded.

     Silentkit ignored her mother. She pushed past the queen's paws to stand before Bramblestar. Panic forced her fur on end. "You can't keep me from being a warrior!" She begged, her voice edged by fear. "I'm going to be the best warrior ThunderClan's ever had! I'll train twice as hard as any apprentice!"

     Jayfeather's voice sounded from behind her. "See? I told you she wouldn't like this."

     Bramblestar heaved a sigh.  He got to his paws, his tail tip twitching uncertainly. "How would we have a blind warrior?" He questioned the kit gently. "In the thick of battle, how would you know who your enemies were? How would you hunt prey that you can't see? Or descend from trees that you can't see how high they are? It's simply too dangerous."

     Silentkit's fur fluffed up angrily, hating Bramblestar's condescending tone. "Do you know what all of your enemies look like?" She challenged. "Do you have every ShadowClan cat memorized by sight? RiverClan?" The kit puffed out her fur, her muscles rigid with anger. "I'll recognize them by scent, and I'll fight them by sound. I don't need sight to know who to claw and who to help. I'll hunt by scent and sound too. As long as I can hear my prey, I'll know how big it is and how far away. As for tree-climbing, I can hear another cat's voice on the ground, or the rustle of grass, and I'll know how far away it is. Simple!" Ignoring Cinderheart's gasp at her rudeness, she thrust her muzzle towards Bramblestar's lowered head. "I can scent and smell far better than any other cat. I deserve to be a warrior!"

     Farther back in the den, Blazekit spoke up. "She's right." He said quietly. "I've seen her tell which cat was coming into the camp before they passed the thorn barrier." He looked embarrassed over having spoken, but determined to back his sister.

     Silentkit nodded, grateful for her brother's support. "I can do this, Bramblestar." She pleaded, her anger giving way to desperation. "Please, I want to be a warrior."

     There was a long silence. Silentkit couldn't read thoughts like Jayfeather, but she could read Bramblestar's hesitation from the quiet shuffling in his paws and prickle of his fur. She continued pleading in her head. _Please. Please say yes._

     Bramblestar finally sighed. "Very well." Silentkit let out a little squeal at his assent before snapping her jaws shut. _You're about to become an apprentice. Act like it!_ The leader continued, "I don't see what right I have to deny someone the right to help her Clanmates. Besides, if your paws do lie on another path, we'll find out soon enough." He sat, curling his tail around his paws. "We'll hold the ceremony at Sundown, along with Lilypaw and Seedpaw's warrior ceremony."

      It was a clear dismissal. Silentkit dipped her head gratefully to the leader, then followed her mother, brother, and uncle out of the den, her pelt buzzing with excitement. _I'm going to be an apprentice!_

     Cinderheart was still scolding them as they made their way back to the nursery, but her tone betrayed pride that both of her kits would be warriors. "I thought I taught you two better than to spy on conversations that don't concern you."

     Blazekit's voice was meek. "Sorry Cinderheart. But it's a good thing we did. Otherwise Silentkit would have become a medicine cat!" He said the words as if there was nothing worse in the world. Silentkit had to agree, but she thought better of saying it aloud when she heard Jayfeather's irritated growl.

     Cinderheart sighed. "I suppose you're right." There was something in her tone, some hint of sadness and sense of loss. Silentkit pricked her ears with interest. She knew her mother had once been Cinderpelt, forced to be medicine cat because of a broken leg. Was she remembering the feeling of being forced into such an unwanted position?

     Jayfeather's growl sounded behind them. "I hope you two won't be so nosy as apprentices."

     Silentkit whirled around to face him, eager for a bout of exchanging insults. "You shouldn't worry. We're only nosy when there's someone interesting around."

     Jayfeather snorted. "Cheeky kit." His words were scolding, but his growl betrayed pride.

     Cinderheart sighed, exasperated. "Honestly Jayfeather, she's more like you every day."

     Silentkit purred, glad at the thought of being compared to the medicine cat. Cinderheart leaned down, giving her daughter a quick lick between the ears. "Go ahead and play if you want. Just be ready for the ceremony by sundown." Silentkit nodded, a purr building in her throat. _It's almost time!_ She and Blazekit scampered off, determined to make the most of their last day as kits.

     The day seemed to stretch on forever, but finally sundown arrived. Bramblestar, who had been sharing a finch with his deputy and mate Squirrelflight, bounded up the rock face and sat facing his Clan on the High Ledge. He let out the familiar yowl of, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own pray join here beneath the High Ledge for a Clan meeting."

     The Clan began to gather around the ledge, a confusing mishmash of scents and sounds. There were no mews of surprise from the crowd. It was well-known that Lilypaw and Seedpaw had passed their warrior assesment a few days ago. It wasn't hard to guess the purpose for this meeting. Silentkit's paws tingled with excitement. _It's time!_

     Bramblestar's deep yowl came from the High Ledge. "ThunderClan, last leaf-bare was hard on us. We lost many cats to the cold. But now, green-leaf has come again, and we came out stronger than ever. To celebrate the survivors of that harsh leaf-bare, two apprentices will be honored with their warrior names. Lilypaw and Seedpaw, come forward."

     Silentkit heard pawsteps as the two apprentices came from the crowd to stand before the High Ledge. Bramblestar scrambled down to the ground again, standing regally before the apprentices. "I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." He lowered his head. "Lilypaw, Seedpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

     Lilypaw's soft voice came first. "I do." She purred.

     "I do." Seedpaw meowed, her voice bursting with pride and excitement.

     Bramblestar's deep rumble sounded again. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names." He turned to his own apprentice first. "Lilypaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Lilyfrost. StarClan honors your wisdom and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan." There was a brief pause as Bramblestar rested his chin on Lilyfrost's head, and she gave his shoulder a respectful lick.

     The huge tom turned to Seedpaw next. "Seedpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Seedlight. StarClan honors your bravery and strength, and we honor you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

     The Clan yowled out cheers for the new warriors. "Lilyfrost! Seedlight! Lilyfrost! Seedlight!" Silentkit could hear Poppyfrost and Cinderheart's voices, far louder than the others. They had grown close to their siblings since the death of their father Brackenfur at the paws of a monster. Sorreltail had retired to the medicine den after that, grieving but sure that her mate was watching her in StarClan. Silentkit supposed every cat felt closer to StarClan after the Dark Battle, when the starry warriors had come to help them in their battle. Even Cloudtail, who hadn't believed in StarClan for many moons, was begrudgingly forced to admit to their existence.

     Bramblestar waved his tail for silence, causing Silentkit to take in a sharp breath. _My turn now!_

     Once the crowd fell silent, the huge tom continued, "I have another duty to perform today. Two more survivors of leaf-bare are to be promoted today. They were born in that cold time, and the protection of the Clan ensured their survival. They are now being given the chance to protect their Clanmates in turn. Step forward Silentkit and Blazekit."

     Mewls of surprise rippled through the Clan, along with a few hisses of concern. Spiderleg, his voice hoarse with age, muttered darkly, "We can't have a blind warrior."

     Poppyfrost agreed, "Jayfeather couldn't manage it."

     Silentkit felt her confidence fading slightly. Facing Bramblestar alone was one thing, but with the whole Clan giving their disapproval, she wondered for a moment if she was doing the right thing after all.

     Suddenly, a new mew sounded from the crowd. "Silentkit's certainly eager enough. I don't see why she can't be a warrior if she works hard enough." It was Molefoot, one of the younger warriors and the father of Rosepetal's kits. Since the death of his sister Cherrypaw, he had dedicated all his courage and wisdom to ThunderClan. He was a respected warrior, and Silentkit appreciated his support. _At least some cat believes in me._

     She and Blazekit padded up to the leader. Silentkit felt her brother's pelt bristling nervously beside her. She leaned against his shoulder comfortingly. They arrived in front of Bramblestar side by side with the whole Clan's gazes burning into them.

     The tom's deep voice rumbled, "From this moment on, until he earns his warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Blazepaw." He got to his paws, his head held high. "Bumblestripe, you fought bravely in the Dark Battle. Your father was the brave Graystripe, and your mentor Mousewhisker. They both taught you all that they knew and shaped you into a great warrior. May you pass on all your skills to young Blazepaw."

     Silentkit purred as her nervous brother stepped forward to touch noses with the warrior. She was pleased with Bramblestar's choice. Bumblestripe was a patient, kind warrior, perfect for her more thoughtful brother.

     Bramblestar finally turned to Silentkit. There was still slight hesitation in his tone as he announced, "From this day forward, until she has earned her warrior name, this cat will be known as Silentpaw." The small she-cat lifted her head proudly, reveling in her new name. _I'm finally an apprentice!_

     Bramblestar paused again, no doubt seeking out her new mentor in the crowd. Silentpaw held her breath. Who would he pick? The tom finally spoke again. "Ivypool, you have led a harder path than most. You spied for us in the Dark Forest, risking your life night after night among our most dangerous enemies. ThunderClan owes you more than it can ever repay. I hope you will pass on the same courage and unquestionable loyalty to your apprentice."

     Silentpaw's tail went up in shock. Ivypool was one of the most legendary warriors in ThunderClan, other than the Four. She had trained in the Place of No Stars for moons, learning the most dangerous and powerful battle skills from the evil Dark Forest warriors, finally turning against them in the Dark Battle. She was a hero in every cat's eyes. Silentpaw couldn't believe she was lucky enough to get her as a mentor.

     She heard the warrior approaching her and bounded forward to meet her. They touched noses briefly. Silentpaw whispered to her new mentor, "Thank you for taking me on as your apprentice." The apprentice still couldn't believe her luck. Ivypool was bound to know the best ways to defend her Clan in battle!

     The young warrior mewed somberly, "You're welcome. I think I have a few ideas how to train around your blindness." The two cats drew back as the crowd cheered, "Blazepaw! Silentpaw! Blazepaw! Silentpaw!"

       Bramblestar flicked his tail, signaling that he had more to say. The Clan quieted, clearly puzzled. What other ceremonies could there be to perform?

     The leader announced, "Silentpaw's training will not just consist of fighting and hunting. Jayfeather has also agreed to help with her training." 

     Silentpaw paused, confused. "I don't want to be a medicine cat!" She blurted out. The small cat smacked her tail over her mouth when she realized she'd spoken aloud. But the mews coming from the crowd carried tones of amusement, not anger.

     Bramblestar's voice also seemed to find her outburst humorous. He chuckled, "Don't worry, it's not about healing. Jayfeather has agreed to help you with seeing without sight, and strengthening your other senses. May both of your mentors pass on their wisdom and skills to you." The leader dipped his head, dismissing the Clan. The crowd broke up, mewling and whispering amongst itself.

     "Can you believe he made Silentpaw a warrior apprentice?"  
     "And he gave her _two_ mentors! That's never happened before."  
     "The poor thing won't last in a battle."  
     "She'll get shredded!"

     Silentpaw shrunk momentarily from the whispers, but Ivypool brushed her tail against the appprentice's shoulder comfortingly. "Don't listen to them. They just worry for because they care about you. If you prove yourself to them, then they will have no reason to worry."

     Silentpaw saw the logic in Ivypool's words. _Clanmates are family. Family cares and worries for each other, like Cinderheart always fretting over us. I just need to show them that I'm going to be the best warrior ever!_

     Silentpaw lifted her head proudly, letting her Clannmmates' whispers fade into nothing as she imagined her own warrior ceremony. _I am ready!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like it! I like Silentpaw, she's fiesty and brave. I like Blazepaw too, but we'll learn more about him later.


	4. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blazepaw and Silentpaw begin their training.

Warriors Series 5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Two

      _Dead leaves crunched and rustled ominously in the forest. The young cat's neck fur prickling uncomfortably. There was something out there. Something dangerous._

 _A deep roar sounded from within the trees. The apprentice shrank back in fear. "Wh-who's there?" No answer came. The cat crouched low against the ground._ It's coming. __

_The apprentice's eyes widened in horror as the creature came before him. It was black as a shadow with eyes burning like flame. It drew itself up to its full height, and kept going, and going, and going..._

     "Blazepaw!"

     The ginger tom jerked awake. His head bolted up and his fur stood on end. His gasping breaths slowed down to a normal speed as he saw where he was. He was surrounded by the sunlit walls of the apprentice's den, where every cat but his sister beside him had already left. Blazepaw turned to see the source of his awakening. The striped gray face of his mentor was poking into the aporentice's den, yellow eyes soft with concern. "Are you alright, Blazepaw?"

     The ginger tom let out a shaky breath. "'M fine," he mumbled, ears burning. The genuine concern in Bumblestripe's eyes lessened Blazepaw's embarrassment. "Had a nightmare is all. Guess I'm just a bit nervous." The anxiety and stress over his upcoming apprenticeship had been turning itself into terror of a faceless danger in his dreams for the past several nights.

     The gray tabby flicked his ear in a friendly way. "Don't worry young one, you'll do fine." He began to back out of the den. "I have an assignment for you today. Come meet me at the fresh-kill pile." The warrior backed out the den. The branches of the apprentices' den rattled slightly even after he had left.

     Blazepaw got quietly to his paws, careful not to wake Silentpaw beside him. The blind she-cat twitched slightly in her sleeping, wearing a peaceful expression. The young tom smiled slightly at the sight of it. Silentpaw liked to act like she was tough enough to take on the world, so it was nice to see her just relaxing for once.

     The ginger apprentice made his way out of the den. A surprisingly branch-infested camp greeted him. Great broken-off pieces of branch and bushes were strewn all about the hollow. Blazepaw blinked in surprise a few times before noticing his mentor seated by the fresh-kill pile. He padded over quickly. "What happened out here?" he asked, flicking his ear to indicate the camp.

     Bumblestripe looked up from his mouse. "Hmm?" He looked at the chaotic mess around them. "Oh, it got pretty windy last night. This is what happens when you live surrounded by trees." He gulped down the last scraps of his meal and swiped his tongue around his jaws. "I want you to stay here today and help sort out this mess. The elder's den and nursery need doing too. Jayfeather will show you how to clear out the dens before he heads out with Ivypool and Silentpaw."

     Blazepaw deflated a little to hear that his first task as an apprentice was cleaning the camp. Bumblestripe smiled understandingly. "Get a good night's sleep tonight then, cause tomorrow we'll take a tour of the territory.

     The young ginger tom perked up. "Thanks Bumblestripe." He watched as his mentor padded away, followed soon by the rest of his border patrol.

     Snowpaw and Dewpaw were standing by their mentors, waiting patiently to hear what they'd be doing for the day. Blazepaw was looking around the camp, trying to figure out where to start clearing out the mess, when Amberpaw padded towards him. The tiny gray she-cat flicked her ears. "Berrynose says you're on camp-cleaning duty too."

     Blazepaw nodded, pleased. The work would go faster with two cats working. Amberpaw continued, "Would you mind taking the elder's den? Spiderleg and I got in an argument yesterday, and I don't think I'll get much work done with him raking his claws over my ears."

     The ginger tom snorted in amusement. Amberpaw was one of the feistier apprentices, and most cats in the Clan were divided on whether Spiderleg or Cloudtail were the grumpiest elder in ThunderClan. It wasn't surprising that the two had argued. "Sure," he purred. "I'll get the nursery too, if you want. Then I'll come out and help you with the clearing."

     Amberpaw relaxed, her tail lowering slightly in relief. "Thanks Blazepaw." With that, she trotted off towards the warrior' den, where a lot of clutter was collected.

     Blazepaw turned towards the hazel bush that served as the elders' den. As he pushed passed the lichen that draped in front of the entrance, he saw that all five elders were awake. Brightheart lifted her tail in greeting. "Greetings, Blazepaw." She rasped from her patched muzzle. "What can we do for you?"

     Blazepaw dipped his head to the elder in respect. "Bumblestripe sent me to clean out your bedding, then he wants me to search you for ticks," he explained.

     Millie, the oldest cat in ThunderClan, croaked from across the den, "Thank StarClan. Snowpaw was supposed to do that yesterday, but Jayfeather needed his help collecting herbs." Her silver tabby pelt was dull and flecked heavily with white.

     Spiderleg let out a snort. "Apprentices these days have no respect for their elders." He shifted on his mossy bedding, his tail lashing irritably. "Amberpaw was in here just yesterday, running her mouth off to me like I was a common warrior."

     Sorreltail rolled her eyes. "Lay off the poor cat." She chided Spiderleg in a raspy tone.

     From his spot beside Brightheart, Cloudtail spoke up. "Besides, you're not even a proper elder." He scoffed. "You're not old, you're just grumpy."

     It was true that Spiderleg was younger than the other elders. A bad case of stiff hip joints had sent him into the elders den early, although he would have joined in some moons anyway. But the black tom curled back his lips at the fluffy white elder. "You would know all about disrespect, wouldn't you Cloudtail?" The black-and-brown tom snapped. "If I remember right, you almost didn't become a warrior because of how often you disobeyed Firestar."

     Cloudtail bared his fangs at the skinny black tom. "You weren't even born then, Spiderleg." He snarled. "What would you know about it?"

     Brightheart rolled her eye. "Oh, shut up, the pair of you." She turned to Blazepaw. "You can start clearing the bedding."

     Sorreltail added, "I'll help lay down the new stuff if you want."

     Blazepaw dipped his head to the elderly tortoiseshell. "Thanks," he mewed gratefully. He padded to Sorreltail's nest and scraped the old bedding into a pile. He tucked it under his chin and started out of the den.

     Once he had replaced all the old bedding with new moss, he turned to his next task of removing ticks from their pelts. Jayfeather supplied him with the mouse bile soaked in moss, and Blazepaw carried the stinking bundle to the elders' den. As he worked at freeing a tick from Spiderleg's shoulder, Cloudtail stretched himself lazily out on his new bedding. "Ah, this is the life." The elderly white tom closed his eyes contentedly. "This is way better than doing everything myself. Now I have no end of apprentices to wait on me." He chuckled. "My reward for moons of service, I guess."

     Spiderleg let out a snort. "Yes, because you were always such a hard-working apprentice." The black elder growled sarcastically.

     Sorreltail gave her denmate a jab in the side with her forepaw. "Leave him alone." She admonished him. "The two of you are always arguing. It's enough anyone can do to get any sleep around here, the way you two are always carrying on."

      Spiderleg let out an irritated huff. Sorreltail rolled her eyes and turned to Blazepaw. "Sorry about that. Those two never could get along." She flicked her dappled tail in a friendly way. "But at least Purdy isn't here anymore. That old tabby would talk until your ears fell off."

     Millie let out a wheeze of amusement. "Poor Mousefur's probably with him now, listening to another one of his long-winded tales. I doubt he'll have left any prey in StarClan's forests either. I've never met a cat with such a talent for eating." Even as she insulted her old denmate, Millie's eyes gleamed with affection for the old tom.

     Blazepaw turned to look at Millie, his ears twitching hopefully. "I don't mind stories." He offered.

     Sorreltail let out a hoarse chuckle. "Oh you don't, eh?" She eyed the apprentice shrewdly, an amused grin lighting her features. "Very well. Then I assume you won't mind hearing about the battle with the foxes at Fourtrees?"

     Blazepaw nodded brightly. With a light chuckle, the old tortoiseshell shifted until she sat comfortably in her nest. "Well, you get started with that bedding, and I'll see how much I can remember, hmm?

 

     In the forest, Silentpaw followed her new mentor through the thick undergrowth. The new terrain baffled the blind cat. Back in ThunderClan's camp the ground had always been smooth and sandy, but now there were brambles, vines, bushes. Everywhere she set her paws there was something waiting to get in her way and tangle around her legs. Even getting past what was on the ground, there was the constant sound of the wind banging against the trees high above them. So many new things out here. The sheer number of new scents and sounds threatened to overwhelm the young apprentice.

     Silentpaw gritted her teeth in annoyance as her paw got caught up in a bramble. The apprentice tugged at the tangled thing to no avail. "Ivypool, can you get me out of this?" she asked somewhat sheepishly.

     Pawsteps sounded as her mentor came to her side. "No problem." The warrior gave the brambles a quick jerk, freeing Silentpaw with ease. "Good thing you're not like Jayfeather," Ivypool commented with amusement. "We'd have been here all day while the stubborn idiot tried to free himself."

     The tom in question gave a derisive snort. "You weren't exactly a ray of sunshine as an apprentice either," he pointed out somewhat crossly. Ivypool just chuckled and led the small group onward.

     As they traveled further into the forest, the scent of water grew stronger. "Are we getting close to the lake?" Silentpaw asked eagerly.

     "Yes. There's something I want to show you first though." Her mentor's pawsteps faded, and when she spoke again, her voice was farther ahead. "Come check this out."

     Silentpaw padded gingerly towards her mentor, careful of the undergrowth under her paws. Ivypool was standing by a tree of some sort, oak by the scent. Silentpaw placed her paw on the trunk, feeling the cool bark under her pad. The young cat had no way of telling how high it was, but by checking how thick it was, she guessed it was pretty tall. "What is this?"

     The young warrior's voice sounded off to the left. "This is the Ancient Oak. No one knows how long it's been here, but it's the biggest tree in all of ThunderClan's territory. We'll be doing tree-climbing lessons here."

      _I have to climb this?_ Silentpaw gulped at the thought of being up so high in the air. She'd told Bramblestar that she could handle climbing trees despite her blindness, but she'd never realized how _tall_ they were. An involuntary shudder ran through the young cat.

     Jayfeather must have read the apprentice's thoughts, for he laid the tip of his tail comfortingly on her shoulder. Silentpaw allowed herself to be led forward until she was surprised to feel water lapping at her paws. She leaned down to sniff at it, flinching away as her nose touched the cold, wet surface. "Is this the lake?"

     "Yes." The grass rustled as Ivypool sat beside her apprentice. "This is the center of all the Clans' territories. Every Clan has access to it." There was the slight stirring of water as Ivypool traced her paw over the surface. "You could say it is the heart of the Clans."

     Silentpaw felt a sense of wonder at her mentor's words. She lifted her head, trying to imagine what the great expanse of water must look like. The little cat listened to the wind as it swept over the smooth, clear water, and she could smell the water and the scent of the other Clans being blown in from across the lake. Ivypool sighed quietly. "I wish you could see it," she murmered.

     She'd probably thought her voice was too low to be overheard, but Silentpaw had caught every word. She turned to her mentor, trying to put as much conviction into her words as she could. "I don't."

     Ivypool perked her ears with interest. "Really?" The pity in her voice had been replaced by curiosity. "Why not? I can't count the number of times Jayfeather's whined about being blind." The tom in question let out an annoyed hiss, but Ivypool ignored him.

     "That's because Jayfeather knows what seeing is like. He sees in his dreams after all. But me?" Silentpaw shrugged. "How do you miss something you've never had? And my scenting and hearing are all the better for it." She suddenly realized how much she'd revealed, and her pelt burned in embarrassment. She got to her paws as quick as she could. "Come on, there's more forest to explore, right?"

     The three started off again. As they went further into the forest, new, less pleasant smells became apparent. The odor of marshland was strong and slightly foul and strangely overlaid with the sickly sweet scent of pine. Silentpaw wrinkled her nose in disgust. "What in StarClan's name is that stench?"

     Jayfeather's gruff mew sounded. "We're getting close to the ShadowClan border. Keep your ears pricked, Silentpaw," he instructed the apprentice. "Figure out the way the land is laid out, where the trees are, and the dips and rises in the ground. You'll have to find your own way around one day with nothing but scent and sound to guide you."

     Silentpaw snorted. "I don't think scenting this place is going to be a problem."

     Suddenly, pawsteps sounded in the distance. Silentpaw turned to Jayfeather. "Do you hear -"

     "Yes." The medicine cat stepped up to stand beside the apprentice, his legs stiff and his muscles tensed. "A ShadowClan patrol is coming this way." He leaned down to murmur in Silentpaw's ear, "Just stay calm. ShadowClan cats like to puff out their fur and talk tough, but they won't pick a fight without reason. Well, not most of them."

     The sound of cats' paws grew louder, and soon they stood only a few fox-lengths away. There were three full-grown cats, judging by the pawsteps, and a smaller, probably an apprentice. An unfamiliar voice sounded. "Greetings, Jayfeather, Ivypool. Didn't expect to see you out here."

     Ivypool dipped her head respectfully. In an even gone she mewed, "Greetings, Rowanstar." Silentpaw blinked in surprise. _ShadowClan's leader?_ She never thought she'd meet him on something so mundane as a border patrol. He hadn't been leader long -  Blackstar, the leader before him, had died shortly before Silentpaw was born.

     Another voice sounded, another male. "This is Snowbird's apprentice, Marshpaw. Who's yours?" Silentpaw stiffened when she realized they were talking about her.

     "Silentpaw," Jayfeather replied tersely. In a quiet voice, he Murmers to the apprentice, "The tom is Tigerheart, Rowanstar's son, and the she-cat with them is Snowbird, Marshpaw's mentor."

      _Tigerheart._ Silentpaw had heard his name before. He was Bramblestar's nephew, and a former Dark Forest visitor. He, like Ivypool, had turned out to be a spy for the Clans and had fought to protect the forest from the Dark Warriors. Silentpaw felt almost as much respect for him as for her mentor.

     Rowanstar sounded surprised. "Ah. You're Lionblaze's kit, aren't you?"

     "The blind one?" A younger voice blurted out somewhat bluntly. Marshpaw, probably.

     Silentpaw let out a slight hiss. "Yes. I'm blind. So?" Her tone dared the apprentice to challenge her further.

     "Hmm. Congratulations on becoming an apprentice." Rowanstar didn't make much of an effort to hide his disdain. "Goodbye, Jayfeather. Just make sure your new apprentices know to keep their paws on your side of the border." With that, the leader took his patrol and left, leaving the ThunderClan cats alone once more.

     Silentpaw let out a snort. "Nice guy," she commented sarcastically.

     "He's a leader of a rival Clan," Ivypool mewed drily. "What'd you expect, your pick of the fresh-kill pile?"

     Jayfeather's voice sounded. "Besides, they've got a lot on their minds, what with Oakfur being sick."

     Silentpaw perked her ears in surprise. "How did you know that?" Then she remembered who she was talking.

     Ivypool's voice was heavy with disapproval. "Jayfeather, you can't keep doing that. What happens to ShadowClan is their own business."

     Jayfeather sniffed. "It's not my fault they can't keep their thoughts to themselves," he complained. "That Marshpaw was practically shouting in my head."

      "How sick is he?" Silentpaw asked.

     Jayfeather didn't speak for several moments. He finally answered quietly, "He's not long for StarClan." Without another word, he turned and started off into the forest again, leaving Ivypool and Silentpaw to follow. As they returned to their tour of the territory, the little blind cat was left to wonder, _What does it mean for ThunderClan if ShadowClan's deputy dies?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's more Faded Boundaries for ya! Sorry for taking so long to post this. Do this was just basically to show more of what's been going on in ThunderClan and ShadowClan since The Last Hope. Also, to introduce Blazepaw's POV.
> 
> Up next is another chap of The Quiet Before the Storm, then more PotterFly with There's No Place.


	5. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two moons into Silentpaw's training, and tensions have arisen.

Warriors Series 5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Three

     A sparrow's alarmed sqwuack broke the calm morning silence. The bird burst through the bushes, sending leaves and feather flying in its panic. Angry claws swiped at the air where it had been moments before. _Stupid bird!_

     "Silentpaw!"

     The young cat turned away from her escaped prey and, with a sigh, faced her mentor. Ivypool's tail was twitching irritably - clearly she was trying to keep her temper in check. "What?"

     The warrior made an effort to keep her voice even. "You're still attacking too quickly. You have to be close enough for one pounce to get you to your prey."

     Silentpaw gave an irritable hiss. "I know. I'm working on it, alright?" She turned away and began to pad away. "I'll go get your stupid bird."

     "Silentpaw!" Ivypool's voice is sharper than before. The warrior stepped out in front of her apprentice, blocking her path. "This isn't about the bird," her mentor growled. "This is about you not putting in the proper effort with your training. We've been working on this hunting move for two days. You should have it by now."

     The small she-cat narrowed her eyes. "I caught two mice earlier. So what if the crouch isn't right? It's just hunting."

     " _Just_ hunting?!" Ivypool hissed in outrage. The warrior thrust her muzzle right in the apprentice's face. "Is that what this is about? You think hunting's beneath you or something? What happened to 'I'll work twice as hard as any other apprentice?'"

     Silentpaw pulled back with a snarl. "I didn't think we'd be doing hunting for two straight moons without any other lessons!"

     Ivypool bared her fangs, an ugly snarl bbuilding iin her throat. "We'll work on hunting as it takes for you to get it right," she growled. "It's not up to you to decide which duties are most important. Prey's plentiful now, but if a drought hits, we'll need all the hunters we can get, and leafbare left us with fewer warriors. You need to learn to respect my decisions, even if they don't agree with what you _want_ to learn."

     Silentpaw gave an irritable hiss. Deep down she knew Ivypool was right, but still, she'd caught plenty of prey, shouldn't that be enough? The little she-cat stormed past her mentor, ignoring Ivypool when the warrior called after her. _I just want to learn to fight! Is that too much to ask?_

     Two squirrels fell under Silentpaw's frustrated claws, but as the hours passed and Ivypool didn't come after her, the apprentice's anger faded to uncertainty. True, the excessive hunting was really annoying and not particuarly enjoyable, but Ivypool was her mentor after all. Maybe she should go appologize?

     Pawsteps sounded nearby. _Ah, Ivypool finally came to yell at me._ But the newcomer wasn't Ivypool; the slight scent of herbs and moorland alerted her to her mistake. "Hey Jayfeather," she greeted her other mentor dully.

     The medicince cat let out a snort. "I guess even I can't sneak up on you." He sat down beside the apprentice, letting a few moments of silence pass. Silentpaw wanted to ask him why he was there, but the threat of another lecture held her tongue.

     "She's afraid, you know." Jayfeather's gruff mew broke the silence. Silentpaw looked at him, puzzled. The medicine cat explained, "Ivypool trained in the dark forest for a long time. The kind of fierce training she saw there isn't something you can just forget. So many foolish young cats eager to serve their Clans, turning bloodthirsty and vicious from the training they received. She had to pretend to be as cruel as they were and train her apprentices as harshly as they did. Sometimes they trained until their pelts were so bloody you couldn't see what color their pelts were under all the red." His voice grew sarcastic as he growled, "I can't imagine why she'd be wary of teaching you battle training."

     Silentpaw was struck dumb by Jayfeather's words. She could barely imagine the kind of savagery the medicine cat was describing. _Poor Ivypool!_ Hesitently she asked, "Why didn't she just tell me that? I would have understood."

     Jayfeather snorted. "No you wouldn't. You were being stubborn. You wouldn't have given up the fight that easily." Silentpaw hung her head, recognizing the truth in his words. "Do you think the Dark Forest is something Ivypool finds easy to talk about? The kind of things she saw there can leave powerful scars. There's really no one in the Clan that can understand the pain she's gone through, so she just doesn't talk about it."

     "Then why are you telling me?"

     "So you'll ease up on her. She's doing her best to be a good mentor, but you have to remember that the last time she trained an apprentice, they were as eager to fight as you, and they became ruthless and cruel."

     Silentpaw nodded, feeling guilty. "I'll drop the battle training issue." Jayfeather gave a nod of approval, and the two fell back into silence. In the distance a bird let out a warning cry, then fell silent.

     "Well, spit it out." Silentpaw turned to the tom in surprise. Jayfeather's words were gruff as ever, but his tone had softened slightly. "You've got more on your mind, I can tell. Let me hear it."

     Silentpaw let out a chuckle, trying to pass it off as a joke. "You mean you don't already know?" Not for the first time Silentpaw found herself cursing Jayfeather's mind reading powers. She never blocked him out though. He'd been able to help Silentpaw sort through her tangled thoughts more than once.

     Jayfeather wasn't buying it. "Alright fine, how about _you_ need to hear it?"

     Silentpaw lowered her head, almost embarrassed to say the words. But maybe Jayfeather could help. He wouldn't laugh, she knew that. Jayfeather was gruff and grouchy as an elder, but he'd always been there for Silentpaw. "Jayfeather, what if I can't do it?" The words sound small even to her own ears. "What if being blind keeps me from being a warrior?" Part of her had been afraid that the reason Ivypool didn't want to train her was because she didn't think her apprentice was capable of learning properly.

     "You _can_ learn to be a warrior, Silentpaw." Jayfeather's voice had gone unexpectedly hard. "You're blind. That's just how life is and it's not going to change. You have to learn to deal with it. It's not your blindness that's holding you back. If you want to be a warrior, you're going to have to _work_ for it. Look, I get it, two moons ago you were a kit with no responsabilities, but now you're an apprentice. You're going to have to work twice as hard as any other apprentice if you have a hope of being a warrior. It's not fair, it's just the way it is. Can you commit yourself to that?"

     Silentpaw shrank back a bit from Jayfeather's tone, but in the end he was right, as always. She closed her eyes, furrowing her brow in thought. The last two moons had seen the hardest work she'd ever faced. Hunting without sight wasn't easy, and it was the difficulty of the task more than the monotony that had made her wary of it. Somehow she'd thought that everything would come easy, but training wasn't fun as she'd always thought. It was long hours, strained muscles, and aching claws. Pointless catches that were forgotten as soon as they were done and dens that weren't slept in until long after sundown. So much work. Was it really worth it?

      _Yes._ Silentpaw let out a sigh. _To be a warrior, to be respected, yes it is._ It wouldn't be fun, but she would do it all to be a warrior. She lifted her head proudly and told Jayfeather, "I'll work as hard as it takes." They weren't just words this time. She meant them to the tips of her claws.

     Jayfeather's tail flicked once in a friendly way. "I guess that'll have to do for now." He nudged the apprentice with his shoulder. "Go appologize to Ivypool." The small tom got to his paws and padded away, leaving Silentpaw sitting alone in the forest.

     After collecting her prey, the apprentice made her way back to camp. Ivypool was sitting with her sister Dovewing by the nursery. The warrior tensed warily as her apprentice approahed. "Glad to see you're back," her mentor said stiffly.

     Dovewing looked from Ivypool to Silentpaw. "Er, I think Jayfeather needed to see me." She scurried off to leave mentor and apprentice alone.

     Silentpaw searched awkwardly for something to say. She muttered, "Er, thanks for not coming after me."

     Ivypool's voice was even. "Dovewing assured me that you were fine."

      _Do the Three have nothing better to do than use their powers to spy on me?_ Silentpaw pushed the irritated thought away and dug around for the words for an apology. "Sorry for storming off earlier." Silence. With an effort she continued, "I shouldn't have been so stubborn about learning how to fight. I'll keep working on my hunting if that's what you want."

     For a few moments the warrior gave no reply. Finally, she sighed. "I guess I understand where you're coming from. I'm sorry too. I know you're sick of hunting, but let's keep at it a bit longer. Your bird hunting could use some work."

     Silentpaw nodded, relief spreading though her limbs, loosening her tensed muscles. "Deal."

     Ivypool got to her paws. "I'm going to go talk to Bramblestar. I think that a night at the Gathering would be a good introduction to battle training, don't you?"

      _The Gathering?_ Silentpaw gaped at her mentor. "You're letting me go to the Gathering? After today?"

     Ivypool chuckled. "It'll be a good experience for you," she explained. "Besides, you've been an apprentice for two moons. You've got to go to the Gathering at some point." With a final flick of her tail, the warrior padded off towards the High Ledge.

     Silentpaw's fur bristled with excitement. _The Gathering!_ She leapt to her paws and bounded off towards the elder's den, where she knew Blazepaw would be.

     "Blazepaw! I'm going to the Gathering!"

     The young tom looked up, the scent of mouse bile almost making Silentpaw gag. Spiderleg's scent was stale, he hadn't been in the den for a few hours, and Sorreltail was asleep, but the other elders were all there.

     Blazepaw let out a purr. "Me too! Bumblestripe told me earlier."

     A dry chuckle sounded from Cloudtail's nest. "You young cats," the old cat rumbled. "Always up and eager about something. It's a wonder any cat can get any sleep around here with you apprentices underfoot."

     Brightheart's softer tone sounded after her mate. "Oh, leave them alone Cloudtail. Like you weren't excited for your first Gathering."

     "No, he was probably too busy arguing with Firestar," Sorreltail joked. Silentpaw started slightly at the sound of the queen's voice – she hadn't heard her wake up.

     Cloudtail snorted. "You were only a kit back then, Sorreltail."

     Silentpaw turned eagerly to Brightheart. "Do you remember your first Gathering?" she asked the one-eyed elder.

     "Oh yes." The old she-cat shifted in her nest. "I still had both eyes back then. I'd caught three squirrels that day, and m mentor, Whitestorm, said that he'd asked Bluestar to let me go."

     Blazepaw tipped his head. "Bluestar?"

     "Mistystar of RiverClan's mother. She was leader before Firestar," Sorreltail explained. "Goodness, do you mean we've never told you any stories about Bluestar? There's so much to tell about her; she had quite the life, though of course most of it didn't come out until after she'd died."

     But Silentpaw wasn't interested in old leaders at the moment. "What about your first gathering, Sorreltail?"

     "Oh, I remember it well," the old queen mewed, a wistful edge creeping into her voice. "It was back when we were in the forest. We gathered at Fourtrees. My brothers and I were so excited! I remember walking into Fourtrees with my mentor Sandstorm showing me around." She suddenly let out a rusty _mrowr_ of laughter. "Rainpaw nearly got his ears swiped off by a crabby RiverClan warrior called Blackclaw. He'd tripped over Blackclaw and insulted him all in a few minutes. I don't even remember how I got him out of that one."

     Cloudtail's pelt was trembling in laughter. "Didn't you say something to Blackclaw about Rainpaw having hit his head in training and thinking he was a badger all day?"

     "Like you could have come up with something better with that bristly old grouch glaring at you like that!" The outrage in Sorreltail's tone was lost in her own laughter.

     Silentpaw heard Blazepaw stiffen beside her. Quietly the tom asked, "But he wouldn't have really _attacked_ Rainpaw, would he?"

     Sorreltail's tone became comforting as she mewed, "Of course not. Besides, he's been in StarClan a long time, and no one's been as hot-headed since that I remember. Well," she amended with a tail flick towards Cloudtail, "Maybe just this idiot here."

     "Hey, I never started any Gathering fights, did I?"

     "Neither did Blackclaw," Brightheart pointed out with a purr. She turned to the apprentices. "Don't worry little ones, fighting is forbidden at the Gathering. You'll have lots of fun."

     Silentpaw turned to the only elder who hadn't spoken. "What about you, Millie? What was your first Gathering like?"

     The former kittypet let out a slight chuckle. "Well, it started with me and Graystripe being attacked by WindClan warriors and ended by us being swarmed by more cats than I'd ever seen in my life. I didn't get to see a Gathering until I was well over the age of a young warrior. I've only ever known the Gathering island - like you." The queen lifted her head to the sky, taking in a deep breath. "There's a storm coming," she rasped.

     "That's good," said Brightheart. "It's been too long since it rained.

     Silentpaw agreed, but Millie still seemed uneasy. "This could be a big one though." She turned urgently to the apprentices. "Stay close to your mentors little ones, and keep an eye on the skies. This Gathering probably won't be a long one."

     The apprentices promised to do as she asked, but privately Silentpaw hoped she was wrong. This was going to be her first Gathering; she didn't want some stupid storm cutting it short.

     She wanted it to be a night she would never forget.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's some more Echoes of the War as the next Warriors installment of my fanfic cycle.
> 
> So I wanted to flesh out Silentpaw's personality more here and show that she's a character with some flaws. She's got respect issues, she's stubborn, and somewhat lazy. But that's what makes an enjoyable character. I still like her anyway, and she's still the cat of the prophecy. (end pointless rant)
> 
> After this is the Gathering and more Blazepaw POV, mostly so I can describe the visual aspects of the Gathering.


	6. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silentpaw and Blazepaw attend their first Gathering.

Warriors Series 5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Four

     Moonlight had turned the forest to shades of silver, the moon full and far above the treetops. It was nearly time for the Gathering patrol to depart. Blazepaw had been excited, but now, as he stood among the warriors and the older apprentices, he could feel a pit of unease in his belly.

     Beside him, Silentpaw was being groomed by Cinderheart, who was trying to trying to flatten a bit of fur sticking up between her ears. “Just hold still,” the gray queen fussed, reaching out with a paw to pull her daughter's head closer.

     Blazepaw had to hold back a purr of amusement at his sister's expression. Silentpaw's fur was bristling uncomfortably, her tail twitching with irritation. “It's fine, honestly,” she grumbled. When Cinderheart tried to pull her closer again, she ducked away from her paw, darting away from her mother's grasp. “Look, I'm fine,” she insisted irritably. “It's not like I get to see the end result anyway.”

     Cinderheart's tail twitched irritably. “You're getting more stubborn by the moon,” she scolded. Then she sighed, something sad softening in her gaze. She looked from Silentpaw to Blazepaw, smiling softly. “My little warriors,” she said quietly. “Already off to your first Gathering.” She turned to Blazepaw, gently brushing a tuft of fur on his shoulder down. With a sad smile, she told her son, “Watch out for your sister, alright?”

     Blazepaw nodded uncomfortably while Silentpaw let out an irritable growl. “I'll be fine, mom,” she muttered. The little apprentice shook out her pelt, making it as ruffled as it had been when Cinderheart had started. Cinderheart sighed at her daughter's behavior, then turned to Blazepaw. “Be safe,” she said softly, giving him a lick between the ears. “Stay close to your mentors, both of you.”

     “They'll be fine,” a voice rumbled behind them. Blazepaw turned to see Lionblaze standing behind them, a fond smile on his face. He padded up to stand beside his mate, rubbing his muzzle against her cheek. “The Clans have been at peace for moons now, and no one would dare break the truce, not anymore.” His eyes softened with worry as he looked at Silentpaw, but he seemed more confident than Cinderheart as he added, “Their mentors will look after them, and Jayfeather said he'll keep an eye on them.”

     Blazepaw wondered if Silentpaw was going to complain about needing a babysitter, but she just gave Lionblaze an irritable glare. Before Blazepaw could assure her he knew she didn't need watching, Bramblestar's voice rang from the camp entrance. “ThunderClan, time to go.” The patrol's chattering stopped, all eyes on their leader. One by one they began filing out past the camp entrance. Blazepaw winced as he pushed past the brambles, the thorny stuff tugging at his pelt. Once he was out, he looked back out of habit to make sure Silentpaw was still with the group, then hurried to follow the rest of the group.

     As the apprentice followed his Clanmates, he couldn't squash the small, fearful voice in his mind. Tonight was the first time he was going to meet cats from the other Clans. So many things could go wrong. What if he said something wrong, or start a fight, or gave something away? What if he didn't know what to say and made himself look like an idiot in front of the other Clans?

     “Something wrong?” Blazepaw jumped at the unexpected voice behind him. He turned to see Bumblestripe padding behind him, looking down at his apprentice.

     The small tom relaxed, smoothing down his ruffled back fur. “No, I'm fine,” he mumbled, ignore the cold weight in his stomach.

     Understanding flashed in the warrior's eyes. “I see,” he rumbled. “Let me guess, first Gathering jitters?” Blazepaw looked at his paws, embarrassed. The gray tom let out a chuckle. He came to walk beside Blazepaw, giving the apprentice a friendly flick of his tail. “Don't worry, everyone gets them. I remember how nervous I was my first Gathering.”

     Blazepaw pricked his ears. “Really?”

     Bumblestripe nodded. “Blossompaw and Briarpaw were excited, but I just kept thinking of all the ways I could screw up. But Mousewhisker stuck by my side the whole night, and it turned out fine. I met a few apprentices from the other Clans.”

     The apprentice gave a weak smile, the knot in his stomach easing a bit. “Thanks,” he mewed. He hesitated, then asked, “I can stick with you the whole time?”

     “Of course,” the gray tom assured him. Blazepaw nodded, satisfied.

     The patrol had just reached the edge of ThunderClan territory; now, they had passed into WindClan's moors. Blazepaw had never been on the moorland before, and he couldn't say he liked it. The lack of tree cover made him feel exposed. He ducked his head, hurrying after the patrol as they padded alongside the lake.

     The warriors picked up speed as they neared the fallen tree bridge. Blazepaw eyed the musty old log critically, not terribly eager to let it take his weight. Bumblestripe seemed to understand. He assured the apprentice, “I'll be right behind you.” Blazepaw nodded shakily, turning back to the fallen tree. He dug his claws in as he scrambled up past the roots, cautiously picking his way across the moldy log. The little tom didn't relax until he was back on grass again.

     Bumblestripe jumped down beside him, giving him a reassuring grin. “There, not so bad, huh?”

     Blazepaw shook his pelt out, trying to disguise how nervous he really way. “I guess.” He lifted his head, trying to catch a glimpse of Silentpaw on the other side of the bridge.

     He finally spotted Ivypool talking to her. Silentpaw nodded at something she said, then allowed her mentor to lead her across the bridge with Jayfeather right behind her. Blazepaw watched with baited breath, but they got across without any problems. Silentpaw jumped neatly off the log and padded over to Blazepaw's side. Her pelt was fluffed up with excitement, gray eyes shining. “We're finally at the Gathering!” she mewed, ears twitching here and there as she tried to catch every sound possible.

     Blazepaw nodded, forcing his pelt to lie smooth. "Yeah."

     Ivypool and Bumblestripe exchanged amused looks at their apprentice's reactions. The tabby-and-white she-cat gave her apprentice's shoulder a friendly tap with her tail. "Come on, let me introduce you to some of the other apprentices."

     As their mentors started off, Blazepaw slipped into his usual place beside Silentpaw, tail brushing against her flank to guide her. They didn't really get to train together all that often, do it was nice to be able to spend time with her again, especially in the face of their first Gathering. He'd never admit it to her, since she'd shred him if he did, but he felt protective of his blind little sister.

     As they pushed through the bushes into the main clearing, they were greeted with the sight of more cats than Blazepaw had ever seen in his life. He gulped, sending his mentor a nervous glance. Before he could say anything, however, Silentpaw nudged him. "What does it look like?" she asked eagerly.

     The little tom forced back his anxiety, searching for the right words. "There's a ton of cats," he started.

     "I know that!" Silentpaw interrupted irritably. "I'm blind, not noseless." She lifted her muzzle, sniffing lightly. "I smell WindClan and RiverClan, but the ShadowClan scents are old. They must not be here yet."

     Impressed, Blazepaw looked up at the Great Tree, seeing only three of the leaders. "Ashstar and Mistystar are up there," he told his sister. "Mistystar's gray-blue, like Lionblaze said, with thick, sleek fur. Ashstar's gray, and way skinnier than I was thinking. She looks really small up there next to Bramblestar. They're up on the Great Tree, on some thicker branch, Ashstar and Bramblestar sharing a branch with Mistystar below them."

     Silentpaw nodded, drinking it in with an air of bliss. "I can't believe I'm actually here," she breathed. Blazepaw threw her a concerned glance. Had she really thought her blindness would keep her from going to Gatherings? Or did she mean she never thought she'd get to come as a warrior apprentice?

     Before he could ask, Bumblestripe led them to a couple of younger cats. The gray tom dipped his head to the two warriors in the group. "Mossyfoot, Gorsetail," he greeted respectfully.

     The warriors dipped their heads. "It's good to see you again, Bumblestripe," Gorsetail purred.

     "You too," the warrior returned. "How's Darkpaw? I expecting to see her with you."

     Gorsetail's eyes glittered with pride. "Dark _breeze_ is with Nightfern, meeting some of the other warriors," she informed them. She gestured to the small brown tom beside her. "This is Quickpaw, our newest apprentice."

     Bumblestripe, and Mossyfoot's ears pricked with interest. "They're warriors now?" Bumblestripe asked. "Congratulations!" He gestured to Blazepaw and his sister. "This is my apprentice, Blazepaw, and his sister Silentpaw."

     Mossyfoot let out a purr. "Congratulations, Bumblestripe. Your first apprentice!" Blazepaw noticed that one of the younger cats beside her was staring at Silentpaw with narrowed eyes. The tom shifted closer to his sister, glaring defiantly at the she-cat. She glared at him for a few moments before turning away with a disdainful sniff.

     Bumblestripe nodded to the younger cats. "Blazepaw, Silentpaw, meet Finpaw and Eelpaw of RiverClan. Finpaw's been Mossyfoot's apprentice for two moons now."

     The cat who'd been staring at Silentpaw, Finpaw, turned to her mentor. "They're Lionblaze's kits, right?" she asked, completely ignoring the kits in question. "Isn't his daughter supposed to be blind? Why is she here?"

     Blazepaw bristled, indignant on his sister's behalf, and he heard her let out a soft snarl under her breath. Mossyfoot glared at her apprentice. "Finpaw, no need to be rude," she scolded. "ThunderClan can train who they like."

     Finpaw shrugged, amber eyes flicking to Silentpaw.  "Sorry, just asking," she said, not sounding that sorry."

     "I can train just fine, thanks," Silentpaw said evenly. "Just like I can tell you have duck feathers and fresh mods in your nest without asking." Finpaw's eyes widened with shock. "My nose and ears work just fine, thanks." Without another word, she padded off, joining Ivypool and Jayfeather with a group of warriors.

     Blazepaw turned back to his group , paws shuffling uncomfortably. No way he was going to apologize for Silentpaw, she'd had a right to be mad, but he wasn't sure what else he was supposed to say. He was saved the trouble by Quickpaw, who stated at him with wide eyes. "You're Lionblaze's son?" he asked with awe.

     The ginger tom nodded uncomfortably. While he didn't have to face much of the consequences of being the son of one of the Three in ThunderClan, there were still cats in his own Clan in awe of Lionblaze for his role in the Dark Battle.

     Quickpaw's eyes widened. "Wow. What's he like? Have you ever seen him use his power?"

     "Quickpaw, leave the poor cat alone," Gorsetsil scolded. "It's his first Gathering, no need to overwhelm him more than he already is." The apprentice ducked his head, clearly embarrassed.

     Blazepaw couldn't help but feel bad for the apprentice. He gave Quickpaw a friendly smile and told him, "No, my dad's power is fighting, and I've never seen him fight for real. But Jayfeather and Dovewing use their powers all the time."

     Quickpaw's ears perked. "Really?" he asked eagerly.

     The apprentice nodded. "Yeah, when we were kits we couldn't get away with anything. Either Dovewing saw us going where we weren't supposed to be, or Jayfeather saw us planning something and stopped us before we could even do it."

     As Quickpaw purred with amusement, Blazepaw heard pawsteps approaching, and a foul smell rolled over island. He turned to see a new patrol of warriors, strong and battle-scarred, coming over the tree-bridge. Blazepaw wrinkled his nose at the foul scent, recognizing it from his border patrols. "Looks like ShadowClan's here," he mewed.

     A ginger tom broke away from the rest of the group, bounding towards the Great Tree. “That must be Rowanstar,” Quickpaw realized aloud. Blazepaw remembered Silentpaw saying she'd met the ShadowClan leader on the border before, and how he'd been polite but somewhat scornful of her blindness. He supposed that fit what he'd heard about ShadowClan. Dovewing said they were decent enough cats, but tended to be untrusting of other Clans.

     As Rowanstar scrambled up the Great Tree, Ashstar took a step forward, raising her tail commandingly. “Cats of all Clans!” The murmuring in the crowd died down, every cat lifting their head to look up to the Great Tree. The gray queen continued, “This Gathering has begun, and WindClan would like to speak first.” The other three leaders nodded their consent.

     The she-cat lifted her head proudly as she announced, “Hunting has been good this season. There are plenty of rabbits on our moors, and we now have two new warriors to help catch them. Darkbreeze and Nightfern have earned their warrior names.” Blazepaw saw two she-cats, one dark gray, the other a mottled brown, lifting their heads proudly.

     The Clans began to cheer, “Darkbreeze! Nightfern!” but Blazepaw couldn't help but notice some cats staying coldly silent, some even glaring at the new warriors. Behind him, Eelpaw, the other RiverClan apprentice, noted, “Ashstar looks happy.”

     “Of course she is,” Quickpaw replied, “Darkbreeze and Nightfern are her kin, after all.”

     Blazepaw looked back at him with interest. “Really?”

     The small tom nodded. "Yeah, they're Heathertail and Breezepelt's kits, and he's Crowfeather's son.”

      _Breezepelt's kits._ Now Blazepaw understood the lackluster reaction from the crowd. All of the warriors who'd fought for the Dark Warriors in that battle had been exiled, including Breezepelt. Those who'd trained in the Dark Forest but had chosen to fight for the Clans, or who hadn't fought at all, had been allowed to stay, but the traitors had been outcast. He'd forgotten that Breezepelt had kits in WindClan. Heathertail must have been his mate before the Dark Battle.

     When the noise died down, Ashstar continued, “We also have a new apprentice, Quickpaw.” The chanting began again, this time aimed in Quickpaw's direction. Blazepaw added his voice to the crowd's, watching as Quickpaw puffed out his chest proudly.

     Bramblestar stepped forward next. “We too have been fortunate this moon, though we have no new warriors to name. Dovewing's kits should arrive soon, and Squirrelflight recently moved to the nursery.”

     There were cheers to this, but also a few uncertain murmurs. Blazepaw heard a cat near him whisper, “I hope he made sure she's actually expecting this time.” The small tom felt a rush of anger. Just because Squirrelflight had lied to protect her sister, her loyalty was always to be questioned. It didn't seem fair. He knew a lot of cats had been hurt because of it, but if he was a she-cat, he knew he wouldn't hesitate to do the same for Silentpaw.

     Bramblestar's expression didn't waver, even as the cats below muttered about his mate's unfaithfulness. When the chattering died down, he continued, “In a moon's time, we'll have more apprentices. For now, ThunderClan is well.” He stepped back to let another leader speak.

     Rowanstar was the next to step forward. The ginger tom wore a dark expression, his stature tense and unwelcoming. Blazepaw remembered Silentpaw mentioning Oakfur being sick. Had he died?

     The old ginger tom growled, “Pinenose recently gave birth to two kits, Graykit and Nightkit.” The cheering this time was warmer; new warriors or apprentices meant new enemies to fight, but kits were always welcome news. “Tawnypelt's litter is expected within the moon, and Dawnpelt's kits will be apprentices soon. ShadowClan has had good hunting, but that doesn't mean we're willing to share a pawstep of it with any cat.” He glared meaningfully at the crowd below, then stepped back. Uneasy murmurs rippled through the crowd. Blazepaw wondered why he was being so aggressive, but then he saw the hunch of Rowanstar's shoulders, and the gray dappling his muzzle. Maybe he was sick?

     Mistystar stepped to the edge of her branch, her tail twitching irritably. There was something hard and unyielding in her blue gaze. Blazepaw remembered the elders mentioning how her mother had been a Clan leader. She certainly looked like she had been born to be a leader.

     In a hard tone, she announced, “I come with news of prey theft. ShadowClan has been stealing from RiverClan territory!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I shall try to get this all posted today, but we shall see.


	7. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mistystar accuses ShadowClan of stealing prey.

Warriors Series 5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Five

    Silentpaw's ears flew up in surprise. _Prey theft?_ There'd been peace by the lake for moons now, ever since the Dark Battle when everyone had come together. It was weird to think that something as mundane as prey theft could finally break the truce.

    She could hear angry growls and hissing rippling through the crowd, probably from the ShadowClan warriors. When the clamor died down, Rowanstar spoke in a carefully even voice. “My warriors haven't set paw in your territory, Mistystar. Do you have any proof, or are we here to listen to the gossip of idle warriors?"

    "ShadowClan scents were found well over the border," the RiverClan leader replied testily. "Scraps of fur and squirrel blood were nearby."

    Rowanstar let out a snort. "Really, Mistystar? A bit of fur and some old scents? That's your proof? That could've been caused by anything. For all you know, prey from our territory could've run into yours, carrying the scent over."

    A growl rumbled from Mistystar's throat. "You think my warriors can't tell prey scent from trespassing warriors?" she asked in a low voice.

    "Maybe the stench of all that fish has your nose confused," the ShadowClan leader sneered. "Really, is this enough to break a season's worth of peace?"

    Angry growls and hisses sounded from the RiverClan warriors. The atmosphere on the island, so relaxed before, had become tense, almost electric, angry tension buzzing between pelts like the beginnings of a storm.

    "These scents have been straying over the border for well over a moon," the halfClan leader snapped. "We may have kept the peace for a long time, Rowanstar, but that does not mean our prey is there for the taking, and it does not mean we won't fight to defend it."

    A few fox-lengths away, Silentpaw heard a ShadowClan warrior mutter, "What's got Mistystar's tail in a twist? Everyone knows RiverClan doesn't eat land prey."

    A RiverClan warrior hissed in response, "That doesn't mean we'll let ShadowClan foxhearts steal it!"

    Silentpaw could hear similar growling and complaining, voices rising with tension and anger. She stiffened, taking a moment to sniff the air. She'd thought the tense atmosphere was due to the arguing warriors, but there was something more tangible in the air, moist and electric all at once. The apprentice remembered Millie's earlier warning of a storm, and how it was going to be a big one. She leaned in towards Blazepaw. “I smell a storm coming.”

    The apprentice nodded distractedly, more focused on the two leaders. Behind him Bumblestripe mewed, “StarClan must not be pleased.”

    Silentpaw frowned. Somehow, she doubted this storm was somehow the wrath of StarClan. She had an odd sense of foreboding. This storm smelled stronger than what she'd ever scented before. The little cat fluffed out her fur uncomfortably, lifting her head to take a few, uneasy whiffs. She didn't know why she was getting so worked up about the oncoming storm, but she just couldn't shake the feeling something bad was going to happen.

    Vaguely, she heard Bramblestar's deep rumble. "Rowanstar, if your warriors have been stealing from RiverClan, it would be better to admit -"

    "Typical ThunderClan, doing anything to avoid getting blood on your claws," Rowanstar hissed scornfully. "You're as bad as Firestar ever was. You'd think a half-ShadowClan leader wouldn't be so eager to tiptoe around battle."

    Silentpaw stiffened at the blatant mention of Bramblestar's parentage, but the ThunderClan leader didn't rise to the bait. "All I'm saying is -"

    Something wet and cold landed on Silentpaw's ear. She flicked the drop off, but it was soon replaced by more, then a steady fall of rain. In a matter of seconds, the rain was pouring, pounding down harder and faster than she'd ever felt before. Her pelt was soaked through in moments, clinging uncomfortably to her frame.

    Through the roar of the rain, she heard a yowl from the Great Tree. "Everyone, to the tree bridge!" She was barely given time to recognize Mistystar's yowl before cats were suddenly pushing on all sides around her, scrambling to get to the bridge. The blind apprentice swung her head around, feeling a brief sense of panic. The rain was blotting out most her senses. Which way was the tree bridge? Where were her Clanmates? She couldn't scent any of them.

    She only had a few seconds to worry about that before she felt a warm pelt press against her, a familiar scent just barely noticeable through the rain. "This way," Ivypool hissed. She led the apprentice through the throng of wet pelts, her tail resting on Silentpaw's flank.

    Before they could reach the tree bridge, a wail of panic rose from the cats nearest the bridge. There was a sudden scramble to get away from the edge of the lake. "What's going on?" Silentpaw asked.

    A nearby warrior called out over the rain, "An elder fell off the tree bridge. He's being swept out into the lake!" There was a thin wail of fear in the distance, but the roar of the rain soon drowned him out.

    There was a shriek of fear. "He's gone! The waves pushed him under!"

    Silentpaw felt fear clench in her heart. If they couldn't get across the tree bridge, how were they supposed to leave the island? Without warning, she felt water lapping at her paws, even though she was several fox-lengths from the shore. The panic and yowling grew even louder. "The lake is flooding!" one warrior shrieked. Others soon took up his cry.

    Silentpaw felt a cat push past her, hurtling itself towards the front of the crowd. She was briefly able to recognize Mistystar's scent before her yowl sounded over the rain. "Warriors of all Clans!" she cried out for every cat to hear.  "The lake is flooding, and if we don't keep our heads and figure this out, we'll all drown. So stop mewling listen up!"

    Little by little, the clamor of the crowd died down, leaving only the pounding of the rain. When it was clear she had everyone's attention, Mistystar continued, "We need to get to higher ground. We don't know how long this flood is going to last, and we need somewhere safe to wait it out."

    "The trees," Bramblestar rumbled. He sounded like he was towards the front of the crowd, by the edge of the lake. "We need to get everyone up into the trees, high as they can go." His voice turned commanding as he snapped out, "Squirrelflight, get our warriors organized. Two ThunderClan cats to a tree, get as many cats up as you can, as high up as you can. Young apprentices, pregnant queens, and elders climb the Great Oak, warriors and apprentices to the outer trees. Go, now!"

    Everyone began moving again, but now there was a calmer order to it. Bramblestar's orders had quelled the panic, gave the warriors something to focus on. Squirrelflight began rattling off names, assigning warriors to trees. The ThunderClan warriors quickly rounded up cats to lead up into the trees. Silentpaw was pulled into Molefoot and Ivypool's group, along with a few WindClan and RiverClan warriors.

    They approached a tree towards the edge of the clearing, where the water was already starting to lap at the grass. Molefoot approached the tree, tail brushing the bark. "The branches are shorter up top, but they should be strong. Smaller cats up top. Silentpaw, that means you. Eelpaw, you go ahead of her."

    Eelpaw and Silentpaw both hesitated. She couldn't tell how tall the tree was, but her stomach clenched uncomfortably at the thought of being that high up. Ivypool seemed to realize, for she gave the apprentice a reassuring flick on her shoulder. "I'm going up first," she assured the two apprentices. "Just watch where I put my paws, and dig your claws into the bark to keep from falling."

    Silentpaw let out a slow breath, forcing her pelt to stop trembling. She waited as her mentor scaled expertly up the trunk. She lost track of her mentor as the warrior got further up and the rain drowned her out, but a few moments later, she heard the she-cat called out, "Eelpaw, Silentpaw, head up."

    The RiverClan apprentice went first, hesitantly hauling himself up onto the trunk. Silentpaw followed him without a word, staying on his heels. At first, she was trembling so much she thought she was going to shake her claws loose of the bark. But little by little, the action began to feel familiar. Some instinct awoke, telling her where to place her paws, how to use her claws, how to keep balanced. The idea of being up so high was dizzying, but as long as she focused on putting one paw in front of her, she was pretty sure she'd be okay.

    About halfway up the trunk, Eelpaw stumbled slightly, bark giving way from under his hind leg. He clung desperately to the tree, letting out a kitten-like mewl. "I don't think I can do it!" he wailed, pelt trembling with terror. Silentpaw could feel the tip of his tail trembling as it dangled down past her cheek.

    "Come on," Ivypool called out encouragingly, "you're nearly there, just a bit farther." Eelpaw just whimpered, shrinking back against the bark.

    For a moment, Silentpaw felt a flash of irritation. He was almost to the top, couldn't he just suck it up like she was and keep going? Then she remembered, Eelpaw was from RiverClan. She didn't like tree climbing, sure, but she'd worked on it a little, and as a ThunderClan cat she knew it'd be required of her one day. Eelpaw had probably never even gone near a tree in his life, nor thought he would ever need to. And now, being asked to do so in the middle of a freak storm, with the threat of falling to a watery death... no wonder he was terrified.

    Silentpaw edged a bit closer, so her head was next to the tom's flank. "Listen," she told him quietly, "just put one paw in front of the other. Don't think about anything else. Listen to the rain and block it all out. Got it?"

    Eelpaw let out a slow breath, his tail still trembling. After a few moments, he let out a weak, "Alright." The apprentice began climbing again, slowly hauling himself upward, not pausing again until he reached Ivypool.

    Once they reached the top, Ivypool directed them towards branches the were safe to perch on. Silentpaw settled uncertainly onto her branch, her stomach clenching as it swayed slightly in the wind. Now that she wasn't climbing, she had nothing to distract her from the dizzying height. She no longer had a sense of how far off the ground they were, but somehow that made it worse. If she fell, who knew how far there was to go down? She let out a low moan at the thought, wrapping her limbs as far around as they would go.

    A few moments later, she felt something shift on the branch, and an unfamiliar mew. "Mind if I join you?"

    Silentpaw took a shaky breath. Part of her wanted to say no, no way, she wasn't risking the branch breaking under the weight of another cat. But she knew there were only so many high branches strong enough to support the weight of cats, so she forced herself to say, "Sure, fine by me."

    The warrior in question stepped lightly onto the branch. "Thanks. I'm Darkbreeze by the way."

    "Silentpaw," the apprentice returned through gritted teeth. Through the fog of terror in her mind, she remembered heading the warrior's name before. "Wait, Darkbreeze, you're the new WindClan warrior, right?" Internally, she remembered Quickpaw saying she was Breezepelt's daughter, but she wasn't exactly planning on bringing that up.

    "Yeah, me and my sister were made warriors three nights ago," the she-cat confirmed. Silentpaw couldn't hear the warrior's movements over the rain, but she could feel her shifting slightly through the movements of the branch. "I've heard your name before. You're Lionblaze's daughter, right?"

    The apprentice nodded warily. "Yeah." She wondered if Darkbreeze knew which of Lionblaze's kits she was talking to, and whether she'd say anything. Silentpaw didn't mind cats commenting casually on her blindness like Jayfeather, but the last thing she needed right now was rude blathering on about how a blind cat could never be a warrior.

    If Darkbreeze did know, she didn't say anything. Instead she commented, "You don't look so good. First time in a tree?"

    "First time this high up," the little cat managed between gritted teeth. The warrior's comment only reminded her of just how high up they were, and how very sleek and wet the branch was. She could imagine just how easily she could slip off and fall, body crushed and bones snapped by the landing below...

    To her surprise, the WindClan warrior flicked her tail tip against Silentpaw's flank in a comforting manner. "Deep breaths, in through your nose, out through your mouth," she instructed. "I know you can't see, but keep your eyes up anyway, and your head, keep them even with the branch. Don't fight the branch if it moves, relax and let yourself move with it."

    Silentpaw forced her breathing to slow, lifting her eyes and head like Darkbreeze had instructed. Some of the dizziness faded, and she instantly felt more balanced. She let her muscles relax slightly, her pounding heart slowing to match her carefully measured breaths.

    "Better?" Darkbreeze asked. Silentpaw could practically hear the smile in her voice.

    To her surprise, Silentpaw really did feel better. "Much, thanks." Now that the terror was subsiding, curiosity crept into her thoughts. "How'd you learn all that? You seem pretty comfortable in the trees for a WindClan warrior."

    Darkbreeze chuckled. "Yeah, we don't really do a lot of tree climbing," she admitted. "At least, my Clanmates don't. Crowfeather taught me and my sister how to climb trees when we were apprentices. I think he learned it from Leafpool."

    Silentpaw was surprised to hear Darkbreeze referring so casually to Crowfeather's warrior code breaking affair with the ThunderClan medicine cat. Even though all parties had basically been forgiven, cats still tiptoed around the whole Leafpool and Squirrelflight debacle like it was some big secret. As if every cat didn't already know and hadn't moved on.

    Aloud she mewed, "I've never met Crowfeather. What's he like?"

    "Grumpy," the warrior replied with a chuckle.  "Gruff, stubborn, irritable."

    Silentpaw snorted. "Sounds like Jayfeather," she commented with amusement.

    Darkbreeze nodded. "He's your father's father too, right? That makes us kin."

    The apprentice thought about that for a moment. She had kin in another Clan. Silentpaw's hardly ever thought about the fact that she was a quarter WindClan. She didn't share her Clanmate's scorn for anyone with mixed blood, but she had to wonder for a moment what it would mean to have family in WindClan. Would she be expected to fight her own cousins? Scorn them at Gatherings to prove her loyalty? She wasn't sure what ThunderClan would expect of her, but after a few moments, she decided she didn't care. Darkbreeze seemed like a nice cat, and if she wanted to be friends with her, where in the warrior code did it say that was wrong?

    "Yeah," she said with a slight smile. "I guess we are."

    Both cats fell silent after that, the rain still pouring as heavily as it had been when it had started. A few minutes passed, but finally Silentpaw's curiosity got the best of her. "What's happening out there?" she asked Darkbreeze. "Did everyone make it up safely? How far has the water spread?" Privately, she cursed herself for not having worried about her Clanmates before now, especially Blazepaw. What if her brother had been swept out into the lake? Cold fear gripped her heart at the thought.

    The WindClan warrior shifted, peering out through the rain. "I can't see the trees very well, but there's no one left on the ground, so I think everyone made it up okay. There's..." She let out a shaky breath, voice suddenly tinted with fear. "Great StarClan, that's a lot of water. It's covering the whole island, and part of the mainland. I... I can't see the tree bridge." The WindClan warrior shrank back against the branch. "What if it's not there anymore? How will we get home?"

    Fear clawed at Silentpaw's own heart, but she forced herself to think logically for Darkbreeze's sake.  "It's alright," she assured her new friend. "This will all be over soon. We'll be home before you know it." She remembers on of Millie's old sayings, repeating it as confidently as she could manage. "Hard rain usually stops as fast as it starts."

    Darkbreeze nodded, relaxing a little. At least she had calmed down a little. Silentpaw wished she could believe her own words as easily as her kin had, but that strange foreboding from earlier still hadn't let up.

    An unfamiliar voice hissed in her mind, " _Things change. This storm is just one of many to break._."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here ya go, more of Echoes of the War. As you can see, I took a bit of a turn for the dramatic here. More to come later.


	8. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blazepaw wakes on the Gathering Island the morning after the storm.

Warriors Series 5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Six

    Blazepaw was woken by the feeling of a tail brushing his shoulder. It had been dark and pounding rain when he’d drifted off, still clinging to his branch, but now the sky was a weak grayish-blue, probably late morning. He looked up to see the ShadowClan warrior he had been sharing his branch with, a tom named Wetwhisker. The tom mewed gruffly, “Come on. Cats are starting to gather down below.”

    The apprentice blinked the sleep out of his eyes. With a weary little shake of his head, he tried to focus on the world around him. The first thing that he noticed was that the loud pounding of the night before had ceased. “When did it stop raining?” he asked groggily.

    “Last night,” the tabby told him. “I kept waking up.”

    As Blazepaw looked out at the sky into the territories past the lake, he saw that it was foggy and gray, but the rain had ceased. He crouched low against the branch in order to look down at the ground below. Through the fog, he could see massive amounts of debris, branches and leaves and scraps of twoleg thing. There were cats moving around down there too, little blots of color. He couldn’t imagine how they were walking through all that clutter.

    “Come on,” Wetwhisker urged. “We should see when the leaders are planning to leave.”

    Blazepaw nodded. “Right, sorry.” He waited for the older tom to start down the tree trunk, then followed him down, clambering easily down the soggy bark. He and the ShadowClan tom were both pretty comfortable in trees, so they waited at the bottom for the others on the tree to come down, helping the more timid climbers off of the tree.

    When everyone was off the tree, Blazepaw turned to look at the center of the island. He could see cats picking carefully around the fallen debris, blinking in bewilderment. Blazepaw couldn’t blame them. The Gathering Island looked completely different. The trees looked bare and stripped of branches and leaves that had been torn off during the storm, which were strewn about the ground. The grass was plastered down from the sheer weight of the rain, and fog was wrapping around everything. Even the Great Tree wasn’t left untouched. A branch higher up the tree was snapped in half, left to dangle awkwardly off the tree. Blazepaw couldn’t take it in.

    As he looked at the wreckage, he noticed a familiar pelt moving through the crowd. He bounded over to the warrior, calling out, “Squirrelflight!”

    The deputy looked up as he bounded over. “Blazepaw!” His adopted grandmother pulled him into a quick embrace, on paw on his back and her chin on his shoulder. Blazepaw melted into the embrace, finally letting himself feel fear, like he couldn’t in front of the other Clans’ warriors the night before. The rain was over, but what was going to happen now? What kind of devastation had been left behind that they hadn’t seen yet?

    The older warrior pulled back, letting out a weak purr. “Thank StarClan you’re safe. Have you seen Silentpaw?” Squirrelflight might not have been their father’s actual mother, but she was just as invested in Lionblaze’s kits as if she was.

    Blazepaw shook his head, guilt clenching in his gut. “Not since the rain started.” He turned to look at the rest of the cats, gaze scanning for the black pelt of his sister. Guilt burned under his pelt; why hadn’t he tried to find her during the storm? What if she’d gotten swept out by the water? He was her brother, he was supposed to look after her.

    Noticing his concern, Squirrelflight brushed her tail comfortingly against his flank. She told him warmly, “I’m sure she’s fine, Blazepaw. We’ll find her together.”

    “Yeah. Yeah, you’re right.” The young tom let out a shaky sigh. “Thanks.”

    “Hey, it’s what I’m here for,” the she-cat reminded him warmly.

    Blazepaw shook his pelt out, still damp from the night before, and began to make his way through the clutter, Squirrelflight right beside him. He began calling out his sister’s name. “Silentpaw! Silentpaw, where are you?”

    All around, cats were calling out for their Clanmates. Blazepaw could see some grouping together with the cats they recognized. There were plenty of voices calling out, but eventually he heard one that he recognized. “Blazepaw!” A familiar gray tom bounded over, yellow eyes lit up with concern.

    “Bumeblestripe!” Blazepaw greeted him with a quick rubbing of muzzles, letting out a purr. He was fond of his mentor, and glad to see him unhurt.

    The gray tom pulled back, eyes running over his apprentice. “Are you alright?” he asked urgently.

    “I’m fine,” Blazepaw assured him.

    Bumblestripe relaxed. “Good.”

    The apprentice hesitated, remembering his earlier quest. “Have you seen Silentpaw?” he asked.

    The larger tom shook his head. “Sorry, I haven’t.” His gaze shifted over to Squirrelflight, and in a more serious tone, he told her, “I found Mistystar and Weaselfur, they want to gather the cats by-”

    Suddenly, a wail of horror rose up from the edge of the island. “The tree-bridge is gone!”

    Blazepaw’s blood froze at her words. As he exchanged a look of horror with Bumblestripe, other cats took up the warrior’s call, cries of horror and panic becoming deafening. The three ThunderClan cats followed the crowd over to the first cat to speak, to see for themselves.

    As they walked, Blazepaw heard a familiar cry. “Blazepaw!” He turned to see Silentpaw, Ivypool, and an unfamiliar WindClan warrior bounding towards them. Silentpaw nearly knocked him over as she crashed into him, rubbing her muzzle desperately against his head and neck as he did the same. “I thought you got washed out into the lake!” his sister mewed with relief.

    He leaned into his sister’s embrace, feeling relief wash over him. “Me too.” The small tom pulled back, flicking his tail as he told her, “Come on, let’s see what they’re wailing about.” With that, he and the others followed the crowd to the edge of the lake.

    The small tabby tom felt terror tighten in his chest as he saw that the warrior was right. The lake looked swollen, pushed out farther than the usual boundaries, and the fallen oak that served as a bridge to dry land was nowhere to be seen. He couldn’t take it in. That tree had been there since before he was born, since the Clans had first claimed the lake territories as their own. It had been given to them as a sign from StarClan that they were meant to live by the lake. What did it mean now that the tree was gone?

    From the desperate yowling, he wasn’t the only cat thinking on those lines. He could hear an elderly she-cat wail, “Is StarClan angry with us?”

    Another cat, a young apprentice he guessed, let out a frightened yowl. “Will we have to leave the lake?”

    As the gathered cats continued to wail and yowl, a cat managed to push her way to the front of the crowd, turning to face the cats in front of her. Blazepaw was barely able to recognize her as Ashstar before she let out a commanding screech of, “ _Silence!_ ”

    Reluctantly, cats fell silent, the noise fading out until every cat had stopped their yowling. Ashstar waited until everyone was silent before speaking again. She held her head high, glaring out at the crowd as she told them, “Cats of all Clans, the storm is over, but we don’t know how far the damage has spread. Right now, the most important thing is to get back to our Clanmates. They might need our help, and if it starts raining again, we can’t be stuck here. We have to get across to the other side.”

    “How?” a ShadowClan she-cat called out dubiously. “The tree-bridge is gone.”

    Another familiar voice called out, “We’ll have to swim.” Blazepaw recognized the voice as Mistystar’s. As cats murmured in shock and worry, the speaker managed to push her way to the front of the crowd, taking her place beside Ashstar. She addressed the crowd in a firm, strong tone, telling them, “The water is still now. It’s safe to swim across.”

    Cries of protest rang out. “Are you mousebrained?” a WindClan tom mewed incredulously. “We’re not all RiverClan, we can’t swim that. It’s too deep!”

    Mistystar glared at the tom. “Would you rather stay until StarClan descends to rebuild the tree-bridge from scratch?” she asked sarcastically. The warrior looked away irritably, ear flicking with annoyance. “We need to get home now, so we’re going to have to swim. My warriors will help everyone who needs it across. Not everyone at once, though.”

    “Form a line, everyone,” Ashstar commanded. “Warriors pair up with young apprentices, elders, and queens.”

    Calmer now that they had clear orders, the cats began to comply, sorting themselves into groups to cross together. Blazepaw found himself bundled together with Silentpaw, the WindClan warrior she’d come with, Eelpaw and Finpaw of RiverClan, and Ivypool. They were fairly close to the front of the line, so they didn’t have to wait long. Blazepaw watched anxiously as the first group, a RiverClan warrior with a couple of WindClan and ShadowClan cats, came up to the shore. One of the WindClan cat glared at the RiverClan warrior. “I’m not going in that water,” the WindClan tom growled.

    The RiverClan warrior, a tom named Grasspelt, flicked his tail in irritation. “Fine. Stay here then.” The WindClan warrior hesitated. With a final glare at Grasspelt, he finally padded into the water, flinching as the cold water washed over his fur. Soon, his group had swam all the way to the other side and were safely out of the water.

    There was one more group before them, then it was Blazepaw’s turn. He approached the water, fur fluffing out uncertainly.

    Beside him, Finpaw let out a snort. “Scared, tree-climber?” she sneered.

    Blazepaw glared at her, but before he could say anything, Silentpaw was in front of him, glaring at Finpaw with her sightless gray eyes. “Hardly,” she told the apprentice coolly. “We both know how to swim, actually.”

    The ginger tom glanced at his sister gratefully, but he still felt uncomfortable. True, Jayfeather and Cinderheart had given them both swimming lessons when they were kits, and later as apprentices, but he’d never had the knack for it that Silentpaw had seemed to. Jayfeather had spent more time teaching her, anyway. She’d always been closer with the medicine cat, while Blazepaw had been closer with his parents. But he didn’t need Finpaw to know that, so he said nothing.

    Finpaw glared dubiously at her, but said nothing. Silentpaw let out a snort of triumph. To prove her point, she waded into the water without hesitation, kicking with strong hind legs. The small she-cat turned herself around to face shore once again. “Well?” she said pointedly. “Are you coming?”

    The rest of the group approached the water, but the WindClan warrior held back, eyes flashing with fear. “I can’t swim,” she said anxiously.

    Silentpaw’s tone softened as she assured the she-cat, “It’s alright, Darkbreeze. You can swim beside me, I’ll help you.” Blazepaw blinked in surprise. Darkbreeze – Breezepelt’s daughter, the new WindClan warrior.

    Darkbreeze hesitated, then lifted her head, stiffened with determination. The she-cat approached the water stiffly, Silentpaw swimming to her side as Darkbreeze slipped down into the water. Finpaw and Ivypool entered next, and soon only Blazepaw and Eelpaw were left.

    The tom hesitated, fear creeping through his pelt. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t. He would be dragged under and he’d drown, in the cold and dark, alone. Fear closed his throat; he couldn’t breathe.

    Eelpaw’s voice sounded behind him, breaking him out of his thoughts. “Come on, it’ll be fine.” He looked back at the RiverClan apprentice in surprise. Eelpaw looked steadily at him, mewing gruffly, “C’mon, I’ll help you, just stick next to me, I’ll guide you.”

    Blazepaw was surprised by the tom’s offer. He’d thought Eelpaw would be as stuck-up and irritating as his sister, but apparently not. “Thanks.”

    “Don’t mention it.” The tom started off into the water, leaving a reluctant but calmer Blazepaw to followed. He flinched away from the cold water as it lapped at his fur, getting it wet and soggy again, but at least the lake wasn’t the raging, wild torrent of the night before. As the ground gave way under him and he had to start kicking out his paws to swim forward, he forced himself to focus on the shoreline ahead. As promised, Eelepaw stayed next to him with a tail on his back. The tom helped steer him through the water.

    Finally, they reached the other shore. Blazepaw scrambled onto shore as quickly as he could, trying to hide how much his pelt was trembling. Silentpaw came over and pressed herself against him, supporting him. The tom waited until his trembling subsided bit, then turned to Eelpaw. “Thank you,” he mewed gratefully.

    The young RiverClan tom nodded stiffly. “It was nothing.” He turned to Silentpaw, adding, “Thanks for helping me last night. You’re not so bad for a tree-climber.”

    Silentpaw gave a snort of amusement, replying, “And you’re not so bad for a fishface.”

    Eelpaw’s stiff demeanor broke as he gave a purr of amusement. “See you next Gathering?” he asked.

    Both siblings nodded. “See you,” Blazepaw confirmed. Eelpaw gave a final nod, then padded off to join his Clanmates.

    Darkbreeze, who was still nearby, turned to Silentpaw. “Thanks for helping me, Silentpaw,” she mewed brightly. Her fear from earlier seemed to have vanished entirely. “I guess I’ll see you next moon, huh?”

    “Of course,” Silentpaw said with a friendly flick of her tail. Darkbreeze padded off, leaving Blazepaw and Silentpaw with their Clanmates. Some were still crossing over, but there weren’t many cats left on the other side of the lake.

    The last group to cross over had two leaders in it; Mistystar was helping Bramblestar cross over. As they reached the shore, Mistystar remarked to Bramblestar with amusement, “Of all the ThunderClan cats who can’t swim, I wouldn’t have guessed you, Bramblestar. Didn’t Feathertail and Stormfur teach you anything on that journey of yours?”

    Bramblestar let out a _mrowrr_ of laughter in his deep voice, telling her, “They tried, but I was always too heavy to swim.”

    “The silly furball nearly drowned when we reached the sun-drown place. I had to go and save him,” Squirrelflight added as she approached them. She embraced Bramblestar, rubbing against his neck. “I was worried when I couldn’t find you.”

    Bramblestar rubbed his muzzled against his mate’s cheek, letting out a deep purr. “I’m fine,” he assured her. “Besides, if I ever get swept out into the water again, you’ll save me. You seem to be good at that.”

    “You better believe it,” she told him. As she pulled back, she turned to look at the gathered cats. “Now what do we do? We can’t swim over again for the next Gathering?”

    “We can decide about that later,” a voice said from behind them. Blazepaw turned to see Rowanstar of ShadowClan approaching them. “Right now, we need to worry about getting back to our Clanmates.”

    “He’s right,” Bramblestar mewed. “Before the next Gathering rolls around, we can send messengers to the other Clans to figure out where to meet. For now, let’s gather our Clanmates and leave.”

    The leaders departed, each yowling for their Clanmates to gather to them. Blazepaw and the other ThunderClan warriors soon bunched in around Bramblestar. Squirrelflight weaved between them, doing a quick head count to make sure they hadn’t lost anyone. “Everyone’s here, Bramblestar,” she called out to her mate.

    “Very well. Let’s go home then,” Bramblestar decided. With a wave of his tail, he led his Clanmates away from the Gathering Island and back towards their own territory. As Blazepaw followed them, he couldn’t help but feel anxiety. If the flood had been bad enough to take out the tree bridge, what else had it changed?

    What if there weren’t any Clanmates to go back to?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told myself I wasn't going to write any more of this until Bramblestar's Storm came out and I figured out how much it was going to contradict my story, but what the hey. I really felt like writing a chapter of it tonight, so here it is. I might write more soon, and I will probably continue it even if it ends up contradicting Bramblestar's Storm, because I like the story I've come up with for it.


	9. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ThunderClan returns home after the storm.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Seven

     The ThunderClan cats walked in subdued silence, picking their way through the destruction left behind by the storm. The Gathering Island wasn't the only place where debris had fallen. Everywhere Silentpaw seemed to step, there was a branch or pile of leaves to trip her. Luckily, Ivypool and Blazepaw stayed at her side, helping her navigate the tricky landscape.

     Since they had left the Gathering Island, the reality of the situation had really sank in for Silentpaw. The rain had affected more than just the island. What had happened to the camp? It wasn't hard to imagine the stone hollow, with its sheer walls and narrow entrance, being flooded with the pounding rain, sweeping her Clanmates away in a fast-flowing current. The thought of it made her quicken her steps, desperate to get home and make sure her Clanmates were alright.

     Ivypool seemed to sense her thoughts. “It's alright, Silentpaw,” she said in a low voice. “We're almost home.” The small she-cat just nodded tiredly in response. She lifted her head and took in a few whiffs of air, trying to scent something familiar. But every scent was dulled and dampened by the thick blanket of rain that was laid all over the forest.

     A few minutes passed before they finally reached the stone hollow. As the patrol passed through the thorn barrier, they were greeted with a barrage of yowls and meows.

     “They're back!”

     “Great StarClan, we didn't know what to think!”

     “Why didn't you come home last night?”

     “We wanted to send patrols looking for you, but the rain was too thick.”

     Silentpaw felt pelts pressing all around her, cats rubbing their muzzles against her face, and the loud rumble of every cat purring. She closed her eyes, a fierce purr building in her throat as she tried to greet all of her Clanmates. All at once, she felt safe again. Her Clan was there for her, everything was well again.

     Over the mewing of her Clanmates, Silentpaw heard Ivypool joking, “Couldn't you see where we were?”

     Dovewing's voice sounded next, heavy with relief. “The rain was too thick for me to see anything at the island. I didn't get a chance to look this morning.”

     Once the clamor began to die down, Leafpool stepped forward. She had been left in charge of camp while the leader and deputy were at the Gathering. “We sheltered in the dens during the rain, but there was some damage. Parts of the nursery were torn away by the wind and rain, and rain started to leak through patches in the elder's den. The queens and elders sheltered in your den, Bramblestar. It was the highest place we could find for them. The fresh-kill pile was all but destroyed.”

     Bramblestar reached out and laid a paw on Leafpool's shoulder. “You did well, Leafpool,” he meowed. “Thanks for looking after the Clan.” There was a thudding of paws as the large tom bounded across camp, clambering his way up onto the High Ledge. There was no need to call for the Clan to gather; they were all already there.

     The tom rumbled, “Cats of ThunderClan, last night, the lake flooded. The tree-bridge was swept away in the storm.” Worried murmurs broke out, but Bramblestar continued. “The rain has gone, but now we must repair the damage left behind. Our first task is to restock the fresh-kill pile. The rain may have scared off what little prey is left now that leaf-fall has started. Toadstep, can you take Blossomfall, Foxleap, and Seedlight out and see what prey you can scrounge up?” The black-and-white warrior gave a sharp nod. “Good. Berrynose, take Amberpaw and Snowpaw as well. Now, while they're doing that, let's get started on repairing the dens. Molefoot, Birchfall, please divide the remaining warriors between the elders den and the nursery.”

     Birchfall nodded. “We'll make sure they're strong enough to hold out through another storm, if they have to.”

     “They might,” Millie said gravely. “A storm like this doesn't just strike once.”

     Bramblestar nodded. “Millie's right. I hope to StarClan that this is the last we see of a rain like this, but we have to be ready in case this happens again.”

     “We can keep the fresh-kill pile in one of the smaller caves,” Molefoot suggested. “That way it won't get ruined if it rains again.”

     Foxleap added, “And we could use branches to strengthen the nursery. Let's see the wind blow that over.”

     There were pleased mews in the crowd, murmurs of appreciation for the warriors' suggestoins. Silentpaw felt a rush of pride; instead of feeling fear in the face of the destruction, ThunderClan was working together to find solutions. This was what being in a Clan was all about. Cats supporting each other, like a family should.

     “Alright. Let's get to work.” With that, Bramblestar flicked his tail, ending the meeting. He climbed down from the High Ledge, padding over to Birchfall and speaking to him in a low voice.

     As the cats dispersed, the small she-cat heard a voice calling her name. “Silentpaw!” She turned towards the sound, catching a familiar scent drifting towards her. Jayfeather reached her, rubbing his muzzle against hers. “I'm glad to see you're alright.”

     “You too,” she purred. She had worried about the medicine cat when she hadn't seen him after the rain ended.

     As always, he read her thoughts. “I would have gone to find you sooner, but Berrynose fell out of his tree and injured his head. He was dizzy and disoriented and I had to look after him.”

     “I understand,” Silentpaw assured him. His duties as a medicine cat came before his duties as an uncle. “Did your supplies survive the storm?”

     Jayfeather shrugged. “I haven't gotten the chance to look yet. I doubt it. My den is pretty sheltered. But I'll make sure my stocks are well and full, in case it rains like this again.”

     Silentpaw's eyes narrowed. “Do you really think that'll happen?” She'd assumed Bramblestar had just been being overcautious.

     There was a few moments of silence. “Maybe,” the medicine cat said in a quiet voice, quite unlike his usual gruff tone. “Storms like this never bring anything good with them.”

     Silentpaw blinked at the medicine cat in surprise. She was about to ask what he meant when she heard a cat calling her name. “Silentpaw!” The small she-cat turned, padding up to the warrior who had spoken. Molefoot was standing in front of the nursery, a group of warriors and apprentices surrounding him. He turned to the small she-cat and told her, “I need you and Dewpaw to collect branches and brambles to reinforce the nursery. Bring it back, and the other warriors will weave it into the dens.”

     She nodded. “Right away, Molefoot.” Dewpaw's tail flicked against her flank, letting her know he was ready to leave, and she followed him out past the bramble barrier of the camp and out into the forest beyond.

     As the apprentices picked their way through the undergrowth, searching for branches and brambles, Dewpaw spoke. “So, what was the Gathering like? Is the tree-bridge really gone?” There was a low note of fear in his voice, as though he was afraid of the answer.

     “Yes,” Silentpaw told him. “It get swept away by the lake.”

     “So how did you get back?” the young tom asked curiously.

     “We swam.” The she-cat's muzzle brushed against a stick. She tested it with a paw, making sure it was pliable enough to be woven into the nursery wall. Satisfied, she grasped it in her jaws, the bark on it sleek and wet from the rain, and covered in dirt and mud.

     Dewpaw let out a mew of surprise. “You swam? Ugh, that sounds awful.” There were a few moments of silence. Silentpaw heard the shifting of brambles, and the sound of something being dropped to the ground. She padded over and left her stick in the same pile. In a low voice, Dewpaw asked, “Do you really think it's going to rain again?”

     The small she-cat shrugged. “Maybe. Jayfeather and Millie seem to think so.”

     “Has StarClan told him anything?” Dewpaw asked. He spoke as though it were perfectly natural to expect Jayfeather to have all the answers, as if StarClan would know how to fix this. Silentpaw supposed a lot of cats felt that way, since Jayfeather was both an exceptionally powerful medicine cat and one of the Three. But she knew the small tom better than that. He did everything he could to help the Clans, but a lot of it was the answers he came up with himself, not just what StarClan told him.

     In response, she just mewed, “Not that he's told me.”

     Dewpaw sighed. “I hope they same something soon,” he mewed fretfully. “How are we supposed to know what to do if the rain comes again?”

     Silentpaw let out a snort. Dewpaw always had been a bit too reliant on StarClan. She supposed it made sense for a cat that had witnessed StarClan cats living and fighting in front of them as a young kit. “I guess we'll just have to think of something ourselves,” she responded dryly.

     Suddenly, she paused. There was a whiff of something, a scent under all the damp leaves and grass. She crouched, putting one silent paw in front of the other, until she could just hear it rustling in the leaves, could smell it digging for food. Then she pounced. The vole's spine snapped under the weight of her paws, the warm body growing still.

     As she scooped up the vole in her jaws, Dewpaw let out a purr of approval. “Nice catch. I'd never have smelled that with all this rain-scent.”

     Silentpaw purred around the body in her mouth. She trotted over and dropped it onto the pile with the den reinforcements. “There's some good meat on its bones,” she pointed out. “At least there'll be something for the Clan to eat tonight.” She chuckled. “Looks like two moons of hunting has done me some good, at least.”

     Dewpaw mewed softly in agreement. “Not likely we'll find anything else in the woods today,” he pointed out ruefully. “Everything's hiding from the rain.”

     “True,” Silentpaw agreed reluctantly. “But at least we can do something about the dens. Come on, let's keep looking.”

     The apprentices dug around for as many brambles as they could for the next several minutes. By the time they returned to camp, they had collected so much that they needed to take two trips to bring it all back to camp.

     Molefoot greeted them as they entered the camp again. “I'd wondered where you'd gotten to,” he meowed warmly. “That looks like plenty, good job.”

     “And there's more coming,” Silentpaw assured him. “And I caught this.” She gestured to the vole, which was sitting in front of her paws.

     Pawsteps approached, and a familiar voice purred, “Nice catch, Silentpaw.” Ivypool stood beside Molefoot, tail fur brushing against the ground. “Put it on the fresh-kill pile, then go fetch the rest of the brambles.”

     Silentpaw nodded. “Thanks.” She brushed muzzles with her mentor, then picked up the vole again and trotted it over to the fresh-kill pile, or at least what had used to be the pile. There was nothing there now but wet bundles of left-over fur. She dropped the vole onto the empty space.

     As she padded past the nursery, she heard tiny paws skittering towards her. "Silentpaw!" Petalkit called out, her brother Finchkit right at her side. "Is it true that the tree-bridge is gone? Did you really get to see the other Clans?"

     Silentpaw started to answer her, but the sound of voices in the nursery made her pause. She waved her tail, motioning for Finchkit and Petalkit to keep quiet for a moment.

     Bramblestar was speaking to someone in a low voice. "How are the other Clans faring?"

     Dovewing's voice responded quietly, "I already checked. Their Gathering patrols returned about when you did. They're faring as well as we are. Fresh-kill piles destroyed, prey frightened away. RiverClan got the worst of it. The streams flooded and drove them out of their camp." Silentpaw stiffened in surprise.

     "What is it?" Finchkit asked curiously, but Silentpaw silenced him with a hiss.

      "Are they alright?" Bramblestar asked.

     "Well enough. They were driven further inland. But they won't fare well if it rains again, and it's going to be hard fishing when the lake's flooding like this. The fish are hiding too." Dovewing paused. "Do you think we should help them?"

     The leader sighed. "I wish we could. But it's going to be hard enough feeding ourselves the next few days. And there's no guarantee they'd accept help even if we offered it." There was a shuffling sound as the large tom got to his paws. "Let's focus on getting ThunderClan back on its paws for now. Then we can worry about helping other Clans."

     Pawsteps began approaching. Silentpaw began scraping some nearby brambles towards her and hurriedly started working them into the wall of the den, trying to look busy. Bramblestar padded out of the den, not even glancing at Silentpaw or the kits as he walked towards the elders den.

     When the leader was out of earshot, Finchkit squeaked, "Why do we have to be quiet? Are we playing a game?" Clearly, Silentpaw had been the only one with sharp enough ears to hear the conversation.

     She shook her head. "Er, nothing. Could you two do me a favor and tell Dewpaw I'll just be a minute getting that second load?" The kits nodded fervently, scampering off to find Dewpaw.

     Once the kits were gone, Silentpaw poked her head inside the nursery. Dovewing was in the center of the den, paws working anxiously on the sandy floor. Hazeltail and Daisy were asleep, and Roseptal and her kits were nowhere to be seen. Lightkit and Sparkkit were almost old enough to be apprentices, so they were probably helping with rebuilding dens. Squirrelflight's nest smelled like she hadn't slept there for a few days, which made sense since she'd been at the Gathering.

     Dovewing looked up as the apprentice entered the den. "Oh, hello Silentpaw. Can I help you?"

     The little she-cat wasn't one for beating around the bush. "Is RiverClan really going to starve?" she asked bluntly.

     The far-seeing queen stiffened in surprise. Then she sighed. "Silentpaw, you really need to stop listening to conversations that don't concern you."

     Silentpaw snorted. "That's rich, coming from you," she said pointedly. She wasn't going to apologize for eavesdropping, especially to a cat famous for it.

     Dovewing paused. "True," she admitted. "Alright, fine. I don't know. There isn't much fish in the lake right now. RiverClan's going to have a time of it trying to feed itself, especially now that they've been chased out of their camp."

     "But they have territory other than the lake," Silentpaw argued. "Can't they just catch land prey if there isn't any fish?"

     The young queen shook her head. "They're not as skilled at hunting it as we are," she explained.

     Silentpaw flicked her tail uncertainly. Little flickers of worry itched under her pelt. RiverClan couldn't really starve, could they? She wasn't naive enough to think StarClan would keep it from happening. They had their limits, like any cat. But RiverClan had been there for moons and moons before any cat she knew had even been born. Her whole life, she had only ever known peace and prosperity between the Clans. It was hard to imagine one of them starving and driven out of their home.

     Dovewing hesitated. "Listen," she said quietly, "I'm sure RiverClan will be fine. I'll keep you updated."

     There were more questions Silentpaw wanted to ask, but she recognized that the conversation was over. She dipped her head respectfully. "Thank you, Dovewing." With that, she turned and padded out of the den.

     When she reached the outer camp, she heard Dewpaw calling out to her. "Are you ready to go?" he asked.

     Silentpaw nodded. "Yeah, I'm coming." She followed him across the camp, towards the thorny entrance. As they passed through into the forest, the apprentice made a promise to herself. If Dovewing told her something about RiverClan that made her more worried, she would talk to Bramblestar. He'd be able to tell her what it meant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's taken a while to finally get around to writing, but finally, here is the newest chapter of Faded Boundaries. I'll try to get more out soon. I still know where I want to take this story, and what I want to happen next. It just might take me a while to get there.


	10. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two days after the Gathering, Blazepaw trains.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Eight

     It was two days after the Gathering ended. Since then, it had all been a whirlwind of patrols and hunting and rebuilding. There was hardly time to relax between when Blazepaw woke in the morning and when he finally crawled into his nest at night. He didn't mind, though. Working that much took his mind off his worries. And he was worried, very worried about whether it would rain again.

     The storm had absolutely devastated the Clans. The tree bridge was gone, and the lake was still swollen. What had happened at the Gathering Island was still rippling through the Clan, impacting every cat. The tree bridge had been there ever since the Clans had claimed the lake as their territory. 

     Blazepaw had heard the story time and time again from the elders. There had been a huge battle when a WindClan deputy had tried to steal Onestar's leadership. StarClan had sent the tree crashing down, crushing the treacherous deputy and creating a bridge to the Gathering Island at the same time. It was as great a landmark as the Moonpool, or the Great Rock in the old territories. Blazepaw still couldn't believe it was just _gone._

     Oddly enough, the elders seemed to be handling it the best. Blazepaw was bringing them a mouse that he'd caught earlier. Millie was asleep, but Spiderleg, Brightheart, Cloudtail, and Sorreltail were all up and talking about the Gathering. “Do you really think it's a sign that we need to leave the lake?” Spiderleg asked. His tone seemed unusually subdued. He was the youngest of the elders, but Blazepaw often forgot because of how cranky he was.

     Sorreltail let out a snort. “Of course not. Don't be so daft, Spiderleg. If StarClan wanted us to leave the lake, they'd find a better way to do it than washing a tree away in a storm.”  
“But how can you be sure?” Blazepaw blurted out. He didn't mean to interrupt, but it had been eating at him for days. Did StarClan really want them to leave their home?

     Cloudtail shook his head. “The last time we had to leave our home, StarClan sent a sign to four cats, one from each Clan. They had to go on a long, mouse-brained journey to get the whole message, but it was a whole lot clearer than losing a tree. Ask Bramblestar to tell you about it sometime.”

     Sorreltail gave a friendly flick of her tail. “Don't worry, little one,” she said warmly. “Sometimes a storm is just a storm. I wouldn't worry about any wayward signs from StarClan if I were you.”

     The small tom nodded, trying to feel like he meant it. The elders had seen so much more in life than him. Surely if they weren't worried, he had no reason to be either.

     Of course, not every cat was as at ease as the elders. When Blazepaw padded out of the den, he noticed a few warriors gathered by the fresh-kill pile, speaking in low whispers. "But what if it rains again?" Lilyfrost mewed, her voice almost kit-like in quiet fear. "What if the camp floods?"

     Seedlight lashed her tail once. "Quit talking about it," she hissed, "you're going to get the whole Clan panicked."

     "Maybe they should be panicked," Toadstep countered. He waved his tail, indicating the vast walls of the camp. "Look at this place. If it rains hard enough, this would all fill up with rain. We'd be trapped."

     "That's enough," Molefoot warned. "We all just have to hope it won't rain again."

     Blazepaw padded past them, heading towards the warriors' den. The warriors' words rang in his ears. Would the camp really flood? He could imagine it all too easily, his Clanmates being pulled under by the waves as the rain pounded down and the stone walls of the camp filling up with dark, murky water. He shuddered. _It won't happen. It can't. StarClan won't let it._

     Trying to push the thoughts out of his head, the small tom padded into the warriors' den. "Bumblestripe?" he called out. The long-haired tabby was sitting by his nest, talking to Mousewhisker. "I fed the elders. You said you wanted to see me after that?"

     Both toms looked up when Blazepaw walked in. "Ah, Blazepaw, come in," his mentor mewed warmly. As Blazepaw padded over, Bumblestripe explained, "I need you to find Snowpaw and find us by the entrance. We're meeting Silentpaw and Ivypool in the forest for a special training session."

     Blazepaw perked his ears up in interest, but when no explanation was forthcoming, he just dipped his head. “Yes, Bumblestripe.”

     “He should be in the nursery cleaning nests,” Mousewhisker added as Blazepaw backed out of the den. The small ginger tom padded across the camp, making his way to the nursery.

     Rosepetal was inside, her kits Sparkkit and Finchkit sharing a mouse beside her. They looked too big for the nursery now – it couldn't be long until Bramblestar made them apprentices. Hazeltail was there too, and Dovewing, who was asleep. Finchkit was asleep by Hazeltail's side, but Petalkit was awake. The tiny gray she-kit darted to the entrance when Blazepaw walked in. “Hi! Did you bring any prey? Can you tell us a story?”

     Blazepaw smiled warmly. Petalkit rarely stopped talking. “Not right now, Petalkit.” Snowpaw was in the far corner, cleaning out some of the nests. Blazepaw padded over to him. “Snowpaw?”  
The apprentice looked up. “Hi Blazepaw,” he mewed. “Do you need something?” The young white tom was a quiet, serious sort, but he had been a good friend while he and Blazepaw were denmates.

     “Mousewhisker wants to see you,” Blazepaw told him. “We're having some sort of special training session, apparently.”

     Snowpaw's ears flicked forward with interest. “Really? Well, sounds better than cleaning dens.” He glanced at Rosepetal. “No offense,” he added.

     The dark cream she-cat purred. “None taken. We can finish up around here.”

     “Thanks,” the apprentice mewed. He followed Blazepaw out of the den, the two toms making their way to the entrance of the camp. Mousewhisker and Bumblestripe were already there waiting.

     Mousewhisker lifted his head, getting to his paws as he mewed, “Alright, let's get going.” He waved his plummy tail, indicating for the other cats to follow him.

     The small patrol made its way through the woods, the two young toms trailing behind their mentors. It didn't take long to reach Ivypool and Silentpaw, who were waiting by a small, twisted redwood. Silentpaw padded up to her brother, touching noses with him in greeting. "Do you know what this is about?" she asked as they walked back to their mentors.

     Blazepaw shook his head. "No clue."

     Ivypool cleared her throat, gaining the attention of the three apprentices. "Now that you're all here, we can get started. We've decided to hold a little competition today." Silentpaw tipped her head in question while Blazepaw and Snowpaw shared an excited glance.

     "After all the rain that we've had, we figured that a hunting assessment might be in order," Mousewhisker continued. "So here's how the rules go. You have until sundown to catch as much prey as you can. You have to stay inside the 'territory' you choose for yourself. No straying over your boundaries, no taking prey from other territories."

     Bumblestripe told them, "Each of you will choose where you want to hunt, and where you'll set your borders. This will show us your judgement, and how you handle yourself in your environment. We can't help you with your choice, but we'll be watching." He gave a friendly flick of his tail, glancing at his apprentice as he added, "Good luck. Meet us back here at sundown with your catch."

     The warriors turned and padded off into the forest, leaving their apprentices behind. Blazepaw could see Silentpaw kneading the ground with excitement, while Snowpaw had his head bowed, eyes shut in concentration. Blazepaw himself felt his tail twitching with excitement. He'd been practicing his tree-climbing and squirrel-hunting a lot with Bumblestripe, so he was hopeful about his chances of winning.  
Silentpaw was the first to break the silence. "So, where are we all hunting?"

     "I think I'll hunt by the lake, from the WindClan border to the Ancient Oak," Snowpaw said slowly. "There's usually plenty of squirrels in the area."

     Blazepaw tipped his head, trying to think. "I'll take the abandoned Twoleg nest," he mewed finally. "The place is overrun by mice."

     "Which leaves me," Silentpaw said. "I guess I'll take this stretch of wood, from this twisted redwood to the edge of camp." Her tail tip twitched. "I think I heard a bluejay earlier, maybe I can work on my bird hunting."

     Now that they'd decided where to go, the three apprentices went their separate ways. Blazepaw made his way through the woods, finally reaching the Twoleg nest. The place was run-down, broken in several places with ivy and other plants draping themselves over the walls. The scent of Twoleg was so faint it was barely noticeable, and the air was thick with the smell of birds and mice. A perfect place to hunt.

     He leapt lightly onto part of the decaying wall, crouching low against it and peering into the nest. Cobwebs hung in one corner, and the floor was covered with dust and dirt. It was hard to believe twolegs had ever lived there.

     His ear swiveled around to catch the sound of scurrying. There was something in the corner beside him. The small tom crouched low against the wall, every muscle tensed and still as he tried to pinpoint the sound. There, just a few tail-lengths to the left. He waited a heartbeat, then he gave a massive leap.

     He landed square on the back of a mouse, snapping the spine in one go. That done, Blazepaw sat, contemplating his catch. The mouse looked well-fed, plump enough to make a nice snack for the elders. Hopefully, there was more where it came from.

     Blazepaw buried the mouse just outside the den, to collect for later, then headed towards the trees surrounding the den. If the other prey in the den had heard him kill the mouse, maybe it was best to do a bit of tree hunting and let them forget about the danger in the nest.

     His gaze was caught by a tall beech tree. The branches were waving, and he caught sight of a thick, furry tail between the leaves. He tensed. _Squirrel._

     With bated breath, Blazepaw dug his claws into the bark of the beech and started to climb. The branches were still waving above him as he slunk up the trunk of the tree. He crept closer, waiting until he was close enough, then he struck our with a lightning-quick paw.

     His claws snagged into the squirrel's flank. It let out a squeal of terror and tried to pull free, but Blazepaw pulled back sharply, yanking the squirrel free from the tree and sending it falling to the ground below. It twisted and struggled in the air before landing with a sickening _thud_ and falling silent.

     Blazepaw groaned, glancing down at the squirrel below. It had been a messy kill, probably alerting other prey. He'd be lucky if he caught anything else soon.

     No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than branches from a nearby tree waved wildly and a robin tore away from the tree, below him. Blazepaw made a quick calculation and leapt for the bird, tackling it mid-air. The robin screeched and flapped wildly to get away, but Blazepaw dug his claws into its body and wrestled it to the ground. They landed a bit awkwardly, the force of it slamming into Blazepaw's shoulder and knocking the wind out of him. The bird was still beneath his paws.

     As Blazepaw fought to get his breath back, he noticed movement in the bushes ahead of him, and the gleam of yellow eyes. _Bumblestripe?_ Had his mentor seen that catch? It had certainly made up for the questionable kill of the squirrel. There was a warm feeling of pride in his chest. He really was starting to get better at this.

**SCENEBREAK**

     Through the rest of the day, Blazepaw was able to catch two more mice, a thrush, and a vole. It started to drizzle around sundown, when Blazepaw was getting his haul together to carry back to the twisted redwood. He tried to push back the twinge of worry as he padded through the forest with the nice in his jaws and the birds slung over his back. It was just a bit of rain, not the pounding onslaught of water from the Gathering. Nothing to worry about.

     The three warriors were already there when he reached the redwood, and Silentpaw was arriving with her catch, apparently with a second load as there was already a sizeable pile there. Blazepaw could tell just from the size of the pile that his sister had beat him. He dropped the mice and birds at his paws, commenting, "Whoa, that's a lot of prey!"

     Silentpaw held her head up with pride. “I had a good day,” she purred.

     Blazepaw grinned at his sister. “This'll teach the other Clans to say that a blind cat can't be a warrior,” he praised.

     His sister grinned back.  "It wasn't just me. All that training must've done me some good," she admitted, ear flicking towards Ivypool.

     The gray-and-white tabby warrior looked pretty proud herself. "Well done, Silentpaw," she praised. "The Clan will eat well tonight. And good job to you, Blazepaw," she added. "Bumblestripe told me about how you caught that robin." The thick-furred gray tom gave his apprentice a nod, pride gleaming in his eyes.

     Blazepaw bowed his head shyly. "I wouldn't have caught it if I hadn't screwed up killing that squirrel," he admitted.

     Bumblestripe strode up to his apprentice, his tail tip brushing against Blazepaw's shoulder. "You caught it," he reminded the young tom. "That's what matters."

     The apprentice ducked his head, but that pride was still warm in his chest. Aloud, he mewed, "I left the squirrel behind, I should go get it." He turned and padded away, his shoulder still aching and his pelt a little wet from the rain, but overall pretty content. He'd done well today.

     That contentment began to fade into concern as the rain started to get thicker and harder, starting to pour rather than drizzle. His pelt was soaked through in minutes, clinging close to his frame and leaving him cold and miserable. By the time he reached the squirrel, the dirt that had been covering it had turned to mud. It was all over the creature's pelt, getting in his mouth as he picked it up. He suppressed a shudder, forcing himself to keep going with the mud-soaked thing in his jaws.

     Snowpaw still wasn't by the twisted tree by the time he got back. Silentpaw was hunching over her kill, sheltering it from the rain as best she could, and Ivypool, Mousewhisker, and Bumblestripe were gazing around with concern. “Have you seen Snowpaw?” Mousewhisker called as Blazepaw approached.

     The pale ginger tom shook his head. “Sorry, no.”

     Before Mousewhisker could ask anything else, Ivypool called out, “I see him!” Blazepaw turned to see a figure approaching through the rain. The tom's fur was so caked in mud and rain that it was impossible to make out his snowy pelt, and he held two drowned water voles in his jaws. He finally managed to stagger towards them, dropping the pitiful catch at his paws and panting. “Hunting was horrible,” he spat, glaring at the voles. “It was too muddy to get anything done, and the lake's so flooded that there was barely any prey around. I spent half the time getting stuck in the mud and nearly getting pulled into the lake.”

     Mousewhisker bounded forward to touch noses with his apprentice, clearly relieved he was alright. Ivypool, however, was watching Snowpaw with narrowed eyes. “How flooded is the lake?”

     The apprentice leaned against his mentor's shoulder, visibly shaking. “It's stretched all the way to the Ancient Oak,” he said grimly. “It looked like it was getting worse when the rain started again.”

     Blazepaw felt a cold pit of fear in his stomach. If the lake was flooding again, how was the camp faring? “We have to go home,” he said, fear tight in his throat. “We have to go back.”

     Ivypool nodded curtly. “We'll help carry the prey.” She picked up Blazepaw's robin in her jaws, slinging a thrush from Silentpaw's pile over her shoulders and tucking a vole under her chin. Bumblestripe and Mousewhisker grabbed prey as well, finishing off all three piles. Once all the prey was loaded, the three cats headed back towards the camp.

     Blazepaw could barely see through the thick haze of rain, but he managed to keep behind Bumblestripe, never more than a hair's width from his mentor's tail, or else he'd lose sight of him. The going was tough, with the rain practically blinding him and the mud trying to pull his paws down. Beside him, Silentpaw was struggling, her ears twitching and swiveling every which way to try and figure out where she was going. Blazepaw kept his tail-tip on her flank and his shoulder against hers, guiding her as best as he could through the storm.

     They finally made it back to camp. Blazepaw was relieved to see that it was more or less intact. Squirrelflight greeted them as they walked back in. “Are you all okay?” the dark ginger she-cat demanded.

     “We're all fine, Squirrelflight,” Bumblestripe told the deputy wearily. “Just soaked and tired.”

     Squirrelflight sighed in relief. “Thank StarClan. You're the last cats out.” Her eyes widened in surprise as she took in their appearance. “That's an impressive haul,” she remarked, glancing at the prey.

     Ivypool nodded. “Our apprentices did well today,” she said proudly.

     “I'll say they did at that,” Squirrelflight mewed warmly. “Drop some of that off for the elders and kits, then get yourself some food. You earned it.”

     Blazepaw dipped his head respectfully, then padded off in the direction of the elder's den. As he did, he couldn't shake the little nagging thought in the back of his brain. _Are we really safe from the rain here?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and it's plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.
> 
> Anyway, it was nice to write another chapter of this. I'll try to have more out soon. And yeah, who knew Bramblestar's Storm would end up having so similar a plot to my fanfic? O.O I mean, a lot is different, but the idea in it is is the same. Mostly. There are plenty of differences, though.


	11. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silentpaw has more questions.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Nine

     "I swear to StarClan, Amberpaw, could you have tracked any more mud in here?"

     The she-cat bristled. "I'm muddy from catching your squirrel there, Snowpaw, so shut it."

     Silentpaw flattened her ears against her head. It had been raining hard on and off the last five days. Patrols had been scarce, only enough to keep the Clan fed. Silentpaw and the other apprentices had spent most of the day in their dens. After so many hours cooped up together, tempers were high.

     "Well don't get it in my nest."

     "Then don't make your nest spill over into mine!"

     Blazepaw was the only one who was silent besides her. Silentpaw couldn't see his expression, but she could hear his paws shuffling uncomfortably. Brightheart and Cloudtail's kits didn't argue often, but when they did, they argued _loud_.

     Dewpaw let out a low hiss. "Maybe your nest shouldn't take up so much space!"

      _That does it._ Silentpaw rose to her paws. "I'm going out." As the three siblings continued to rage behind her, she padded to the den entrance. She hesitated for a moment, then pelted out of the den and across the camp. Her pelt was completely soaked through by the time she reached the nursery. She paused just inside the den, shaking off as much of the water as she could, to the displeasure of those inside.

     "Great StarClan!" Hazeltail flinched away from the shower of water, her fluffy tail sweeping over her kits to shield them. She could hear Petalkit and Finchkit squeaking in surprise as the droplets rained on them. "Silentpaw, be more careful." Rosepetal, Lightkit, and Sparkkit were further in the den, and just looked up as she entered.

     The apprentice dipped her head. "Sorry," she mewed. "I'm here to speak with Dovewing." She sniffed lightly. The young queen's scent was strong; she had to be in the den.

     There was the sound of fur shifting, then Dovewing's sleepy voice spoke. "Oh, hello Silentpaw. How can I help you?"

     Silentpaw's ear flicked uncertainly. She would have rather spoken to Dovewing about this in private, but she wasn't willing to wait any longer. It had been several days since she had last asked about RiverClan, and now the rain had only gotten worse. She had to find out how they were doing.

     Even as Hazeltail, Rosepetal and their kits listened, Silentpaw asked boldly, "Have you seen how RiverClan has been doing in the rain?"

     There was the sound of something shifting, and tiny paws on a sandy floor. "Why RiverClan?" Petalkit asked brightly, as she and her brother approached Silentpaw "Are we going to fight them?"

     Finchkit cuffed her ear with a small, furry paw. "Of course not, mousebrain. Pay attention."

     Dovewing glanced uncertainly at the kits before admitting, "Not very well. I can't see much through all this rain. But I can tell they haven't been able to hunt very well. They've been driven even further inland now that the lake's flooding again. I can hear the kits wailing. They haven't each much the last few days. And... I think they lost something in the flood. I could hear cats yowling that someone got pulled into the lake."

     Silentpaw's chest tightened. It sounded like things had gotten worse for RiverClan. She'd been afraid of that. With all this rain, how would they possibly be able to hunt in the lake? And now some cat had died.

     Out loud she mewed, "We have to help them."

     Dovewing's ears twitched uncertainly, but before she could speak, Rosepetal beat her to it. "Why should we help RiverClan? We have enough problems with this storm ourselves."

     "We're doing well enough right now," Silentpaw countered. "But RiverClan is in real trouble. They've been driven out of their home, and they're starving. Who knows how long until cats start dying?"

     Sparkkit snorted. "Why should we care?" he asked with flick of his white-tipped tail. "It's RiverClan's job to feed itself."

     Silentpaw lashed her tail. Sparkkit had always liked to puff his chest out when he talked about the other Clans. His brother was alright, and Sparkkit was fun to play with sometimes, but mostly he just got on her nerves. "We should care because that's what warriors do," she argued with an edge to her tone. "The Clans depend on each other. What would happen to us if RiverClan died, or was driven away?"

     "Silentpaw, I know you just want to help. I do too," Dovewing mewed carefully. Her tail swept closer to her belly as she continued, "But we have to focus on our own Clan right now. ThunderClan needs to be fed and safe."

     There was a sinking feeling in the young she-cat's chest. She had heard stories of how Dovewing had once sneaked into WindClan territory to check on the safety of an enemy warrior. If even she wasn't willing to help, would anyone else?

     Hazeltail spoke up from across the den. "Dovewing's right. We need to worry about our own cats right now. We have our own kits and elders that need feeding."

     "Once we've made it through the storm, I'm sure Bramblestar will be willing to send a patrol to RiverClan," Dovewing added.

     The apprentice snarled in frustration, "But by then it could be too late!" Frustration tugged at her paws. _No one is listening to me!_ Ignoring Dovewing calling after her, she turned and raced out of the den.

     Silentpaw knew exactly where she had to go next. There was only one cat she could talk to who might actually do something to help. Determined she bunched up her muscles and hurled herself towards the High Ledge. She launched herself at the rock face, struggling to find purchase for her claws on the wet surface. With a bit of slipping and fumbling, she managed the scale the rock and climb into the den.

     There were a couple mews of surprise from further in the den. Bramblestar and Squirrelflight were both inside the den, curled up together as they sheltered from the rain. Both leader and deputy looked up as the apprentice climbed in. "Silentpaw? Is there something you need?" the leader rumbled.

     Silentpaw shook out her pelt again, trying to get rid of the miserable feeling of her pelt clinging to her frame. Once she was done, she answered, "I've been talking with Dovewing. Are you going to do anything to help RiverClan?"

     Bramblestar's ear flicked in surprise. "How did you know about that? I asked Dovewing to keep that between us."

     "Oh, it's not her fault," Silentpaw mewed dismissively. "I was eavesdropping." She heard a disapproving grunt from Bramblestar, and an amused snort from Squirrelflight. She ignored them and continued, "But that's not the point. RiverClan is starving. A cat has died. How are we going to help them?"

     "Slow down, Silentpaw," Bramblestar told her.

     The deputy added, "We've been asking Dovewing to keep an eye on all the Clans. But right now, our main concern has to be ThunderClan."

     Bramblestar's hefty tail swept across the cave floor. "We're doing alright for now. But things could easily become worse. Our prey is being driven into hiding by the heavy flooding. If the flood waters extend any farther, we might even have to evacuate the camp. We have to focus on our own Clan first."

     "But RiverClan cats have died," Silentpaw protested. She couldn't understand how Squirrelflight and Bramblestar could seem so unconcerned. Weren't the Clans supposed to help each other in times of need?

     "We understand that, Silentpaw," Squirrelflight mewed firmly. "No one is happy to hear of the death of more warriors. But we can't spare any cats to send to RiverClan right now. It's not safe to travel with this rain. Besides, if we do evacuate, we'll need every cat here to help move the kits and elders."

     Silentpaw must have looked as frustrated as she felt, for Bramblestar assured her, "Once the rain dies down, we'll send a patrol to RiverClan. Just be patient."

     The apprentice could feel anger making her paws tremble, but she forced herself to keep from yowling at her leader. "Yes, Bramblestar," she mewed between clenched teeth. Before Bramblestar could continue to lecture her, Silentpaw turned and bolted out of the den, slithering gracelessly down the wet rock face back onto the floor of the camp. If the leader was calling after her, she couldn't hear it through the rain.

     Now that she was out of that den, Silentpaw tried to sort through her tangled thoughts. On one paw, she could understand where Bramblestar was coming from. He was the leader of ThunderClan – he had to make the cats under his care his first concern. But ThunderClan was fine right now. They had been lucky enough to get through the flood with no losses, with their territory and their camp still mostly intact. RiverClan was losing cats, and they had been driven from their home. Wasn't it the duty of the Clans to support each other in times of need? The Clans had fought side by side in the battles against BloodClan and the Dark Forest, and they had made the Great Journey together as one. It had been the only way to ensure they all survived. That was how it had always been; each Clan balanced the other. One could not survive without the other. Why didn't anyone listen to her when she said it?

     Silentpaw shook her head irritably, trying to get rid of the uncomfortable, angry thoughts buzzing around in her head. She was still sitting out in the middle of camp, letting the rain soak her all the way down to her bones. The small she-cat considered going back to the apprentice's den, but if Brightheart's kits were still arguing, she would be just as miserable as she had been a few minutes ago. She didn't exactly feel like going to the nursery and hearing more lectures from the queens, and she doubted a runty little apprentice like herself would be welcome in the warrior's den.

     Slowly, Silentpaw realized that she didn't feel like staying in camp just then. An idea of where to go was starting to come to her. It was a dangerous, mouse-brained idea, but Silentpaw was too angry to care. If Bramblestar wasn't going to listen to her, then she'd take matters into her own paws. She would go and help RiverClan on her own!

     The she-cat's tail shot up with confidence as she started to pad towards the entrance of the camp. Her decision had almost instantly put her mind at ease. It made so much sense. Bramblestar had said it was too dangerous to ask any of his cats to travel to RiverClan and help another Clan, which most cats seemed reluctant to do. Well, he hadn't asked her. She was going of her own will. As for hunting and helping the Clan out, well, how much was ThunderClan going to miss one blind apprentice for a few days anyway? RiverClan obviously needed help more than ThunderClan did right now, so she would see what she could do to aid them.

     As Silentpaw passed through the camp entrance, she heard soft pawsteps behind her. “Silentpaw?” The small she-cat nearly leaped out of her fur at the sound of her name. It took a few moments for her to recognize Ivypool's mew, and her faint scent through the rain.

     “Oh, hi Ivypool,” she replied, trying to hide the way her fur had fluffed up in surprise. “I thought I'd go for a walk.”

     “In this weather?” her mentor asked dubiously. Silentpaw felt a cool nose poking at her pelt, sniffing her over. “Silentpaw, you're soaked. Go back to your den.”

     She felt a brief rush of panic. “I can't!” she blurted out. Ivypool's muzzle jerked back in surprise. Quickly, she tried to cover up her slip. “Er, well, everyone's stepping on each other's tails in the apprentice's den. Amberpaw, Snowpaw, and Dewpaw keep yowling at each other. I just need to clear my head for a bit. I figured I'd at least get some hunting done. Maybe those three just need me to stuff a mouse in their jaws to make them shut up for a bit.”

     There were a few moments of silence. Silentpaw wished she could gauge Ivypool's thoughts, but the rain was too loud for her to hear or scent any of the usual hints of her mentor's mood. Finally, Ivypool mewed, “Alright. Hurry back.”  
     Relief crashed over the small cat. “I will,” she lied quickly. The apprentice bounded away, leaving behind the camp as quickly as she possibly could. She felt a little guilty for lying to her mentor, but surely she'd understand. The Clans needed to help each other.

     Once she'd left the camp a good distance behind her, she started thinking about the best route to take to RiverClan. They lived on the opposite side of the river from her Clan. To get there, she'd either have to pass through WindClan or ShadowClan territory, unless she had plans on swimming. ShadowClan had a reputation for being pretty prickly about strangers, but they also had more trees to shelter her from the rain. And as long as she kept two foxlengths from the lake's edge, they couldn't challenge her. That was the best way to go.

     The she-cat slunk through the forest, her belly low against the ground as she tried to pick her way through the undergrowth in the rain. After two moons of training, most of ThunderClan's territory felt familiar under her paws, but now everything was flattened and muddied by the rain, and all the familiar scents were masked by the thick smell of rain. She swung her head side to side, trying to catch any familiar scent, but there was nothing there but rain.

     After wandering for a bit, Silentpaw felt the ground under her paws become soft and muddy. She struggled to lift one paw and put it in front of the other. The swelling confidence she'd felt only a few minutes before had been replaced by irritation. _Great StarClan, you'd think just finding my way to the lake wouldn't be so hard!_

     No sooner had she thought it than she felt thick mud pulling at her paws as she tried to step forward, making her stumble forward. Mud spattered onto her muzzle and face, but there was something else there too – water. Cold water lapped at her muzzle and chest. Silentpaw struggled to her paws, feeling a new surge of confidence. She'd found the lake!

     After falling, though, the apprentice was a bit turned around. She wasn't quite sure where she was in relation to the camp and the other territories. Silentpaw looked this way and that a few times, sniffing the air uncertainly, before turning to the left and padding off. She was sure to be going the right way. She'd pass through ShadowClan territory, make it to RiverClan by nightfall, and start helping them recover from the flood.

     Her Clanmates were sure to understand. They had to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and it's plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.
> 
> At long last, here's the newest chapter of my fanfic. I'll try to update this more frequently now. I have so much of this planned out, you wouldn't believe how much time I spend planning out allegiances and future kits and relationships and plotlines and such. Anyway, Silentpaw has decided to disobey her leader and go help RiverClan on her own. Thoughts?


	12. Chapter Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blazepaw realizes how long Silentpaw has been gone.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Ten

     Silentpaw hadn't been back in the den for a while. Amberpaw, Snowpaw, and Dewpaw weren't yowling at each other anymore, but they were ignoring each other in total icy silence now, which was almost as bad. Blazepaw couldn't stand the tense atmosphere. He mumbled a quick, “I'm gonna see if the elders need anything,” before getting to his paws and heading out of the den.

     He made a mad dash across the camp, trying to escape the way the rain immediately soaked his pelt through and made it cling to his frame. It didn't take long to reach the elder's den. As he stepped inside, his pelt dripping onto the cool stone floor, Spiderleg jolted up in his nest with a sharp hiss. “Don't take another step!” he snarled at the apprentice. “We've been keeping the nests dry all day, and the last thing we need is some wet, muddy apprentice tromping all over the den.”

     Blazepaw froze in his tracks, too intimidated to enter the den further. “Sorry, Spiderleg,” he murmured.

     Sorreltail glared at Spiderleg. “Oh, mousedung to that,” she mewed firmly. “Come on in, Blazepaw. Don't like this old foxheart scare you off.” The apprentice took a few cautious steps into the den, careful not to tread anywhere near Spiderleg's nest.

     Brightheart and Cloudtail looked up at him, blinking sleepily, as though they'd just woken. Millie was still dozing, her tail curled around her skinny frame. “Hello, Blazepaw,” Cloudtail greeted with a flick of his ear. “How can we help you?”

     He hesitated. “I was wondering if you needed help with anything? New moss for your nests?”

     Sorreltail and Brightheart exchanged a puzzled glance. “Thank you, but we're fine,” the tortoiseshell elder told him. “Silentpaw brought us fresh moss this morning.”

     “Prey, then?”

     Brightheart's whiskers twitched with amusement. “We shared a squirrel earlier. Blazepaw, why are you really here?”

     Blazepaw ducked his head. He hesitated before admitting, “I'm just tired of being stuck in the apprentice's den.”

     To Blazepaw's surprise, Brightheart and Cloudtail both broke out into _mrowrrs_ of laughter that had them shaking. “Our kits are at each other's throats, are they?” the white tom mewed knowingly, his whole body trembling with laughter.

     “It figures. Everyone's been cooped up in camp for the last five days,” Brightheart pointed out in a raspy mew. “Cats are bound to start stepping on each other's tails.”

     The ginger apprentice's tail twitched anxiously. “Actually, there's something else I wanted to ask. Have any of you ever seen a storm like this before?” After five straight days of rain, Blazepaw was really starting to get worried. Would ThunderClan be able to survive if the storm went on much longer.

     Sorreltail tipped her head to the side, looking thoughtful. Slowly, she mewed, “I remember stories from the old forest of times the rain came so hard that the river flooded. I have no idea what it'll be like now that we're living by the lake. It it floods much farther, it'll effect every Clan, not just RiverClan.”

     Cloudtail let out a low, rasping purr of amusement. “I'd nearly forgotten about that! I was just a kit when the river flooded.”

     The apprentice's ears pricked. “You were there when there was flooding?”

     “Well, just for one flood,” he explained. Blazepaw sat with his tail curled around his paws, the unmistakable sign of an apprentice looking for a good story. Cloudtail's whiskers twitched with amusement as he began, “It was a few moons after Firestar brought me to ThunderClan. That was a hard winter. We were starving, and the river froze.

     Brightheart suddenly let out a rasping laugh. “Was that the winter you convinced Ashkit and Fernkit to go hunting with you?”

     Blazepaw tipped his head to the side. Uncertainly, he asked, “Ashkit and Fernkit?”

     “Ashfur and Ferncloud. They were warriors, but they died before you were born. I was raised by their mother,” Cloudtail explained. Across the den, Spiderleg flinched at the names, eyes glazed with pain. The apprentice recognized the latter name – Foxleap, Spiderleg, and Birchfall were her kits. “Anyway, when the weather started to get warmer, the river began to thaw and flood. RiverClan were driven from their camp.”

     “Really?” Blazepaw couldn't imagine a Clan losing their home like that. “How did they get through it?”

     The white tom curled his tail tightly around his paws. “Well, I was always sticking to the other warriors' paws, especially Fireheart's. After the river thawed, I decided to track him to show what a great warrior I was going to be. I followed him and Graystripe out of camp...”

     Before the elder could finish, Ivypool padded into the den, stopping briefly to shake the rain from her pelt. Once she was more or less dry, she looked down at the apprentice. “Ah, Blazepaw, here you are. Have you seen your sister anywhere?”

     Blazepaw shook his head. “No, not since she left the den. Why?”

     Ivypool flicked her tail, looking anxious. “She went hunting a while ago, and she hasn't come back to camp yet.”

     The warrior seemed concerned, but Blazepaw didn't really see why. “She's probably just trying to clear her head. We've all been cooped up for a while.”

     “In this weather?” Ivypool returned dryly.

     Blazepaw purred in amusement. “I think you might be underestimating how stubborn my sister is,” he pointed out. “If she's determined not to go back to the den for a while, no amount of rain is going to stop her.” It would be just like his sister to go slogging through the mud and pouring rain rather than stay trapped in a den for so long.

     Ivypool still looked anxious, but Blazepaw's words seemed to have assured her. “I guess you're right. I'll let her stay out there a bit longer, then I'll see if I can track her down and drag her back. Restless or not, we don't need any cat staying out so long they fall ill.” With that, she turned and padded out of the den.

**SCENEBREAK**

     As the sun began to set, and the sky began to darken, Blazepaw finally started to get worried. It had been ages since Silentpaw had left to hunt, and she still hadn't returned. Ivypool had left on her own to go search for her apprentice, with no luck. Now Squirrelflight had called the Clan together to discuss what to do to find the wayward apprentice.

     Squirrelflight lifted her head proudly, addressing the cats below her with the confidence of a much more seasoned deputy. “As you all know, Silentpaw has gone missing,” she began. “So far, there's been no luck in finding her.” She glanced over at Dovewing, who was sitting to the edge of the crowd, sitting awkwardly due to her heavily pregnant belly. “Dovewing, have you been able to sense her at all?”

     Dovewing shook her head. “I can barely see anything through this rain, and it's getting worse,” she appologized.

     The deputy gave a short nod. “Very well. Without Dovewing's powers to help us, we need to send out a patrol after her. Bramblestar already said he wants to lead the patrol.” The deputy practically had to yowl to be heard over the rain. Even through the thick sheets of rain, Blazepaw could see the awkward bulging of her belly as she sat before them all. It couldn't be too long before she had her kits. How much longer could she keep up with her duties like this?

     She continuted to shoot off names. “Toadstep, Seedlight, Blazepaw, Birchfall, you will all go with him. Meanwhile, Lilyfrost, Amberpaw, Berrynose, Poppyfrost, you're on hunting duty. The fresh kill pile needs restocking.”

     While Poppyfrost gathered her hunting patrol together, Bramblestar approached Blazepaw and the other warriors, beckoning them forward with a wave of his tail. “We'll start by trying to follow her trail out of camp,” the leader rumbled.

     “How exactly are we supposed to follow her scent?” Seedlight demanded. “I can't smell anything other than wet forest.”

     Bramblestar fixed her with a silencing glare. “We have to try.” With that, he turned and trotted off, leaving the rest of the patrol to follow. Blazepaw hurried to keep up, trying to keep from shivering at the cold rain pounding down on him. Privately, he thought Seedlight was right. If Silentpaw had left any kind of scent trail, it was long gone by now.

     The dark tabby led them out into the forest. For a short while, Blazepaw was able to catch a whiff of his sister's scent. They followed it for a while, but it faded very quickly, leaving nothing but the smell of wet leaves.

     Birchfall lashed his tail. “Great. Now how are we supposed to find her?” Morale was pretty low for the patrol. The rain and wind were both picking up, and they'd still found no sign of the apprentice.

     He didn't answer. The leader was staring out into the rain, looking thoughtful.

     “Bramblestar?”

     The dark tabby started. “Oh, sorry. I was just thinking.” He suddenly turned on Blazepaw, his gaze intense. “If your sister thought another Clan was in danger, real danger, what would she do?” he asked urgently.

     Blazepaw flinched under the huge tabby's gaze. “Sh-she'd probably try to help them somehow,” he answered honestly. He had no idea how any of this related to where his sister was.

     “Of course.” The leader stalked away, letting out a frustrated hiss. “I told her to wait after the storm. What good does she think she's going to do, getting herself killed out in this rain?”

     Now the apprentice was completely baffled. “Bramblestar? What are you talking about?”

     Bramblestar sighed. “RiverClan has been driven from their camp.” There were mews of surprise from the other cats on the patrol. “Silentpaw found out and confronted me, asking me to do something to help them. I told her we had to take care of our own until the storm was over.”

     Horrible understanding hit Blazepaw. “And now that you said you won't help them, she's gone to help them on her own.” That sounded exactly like his sister.

     “If she's going to RiverClan, she'll probably follow the edge of the lake,” Toadstep pointed out. “Maybe she's still on our territory, if we're lucky.

     Bramblestar drew himself up to his full height. “Then there's no time to waste. Let's move!” He took off with an impressive bound, the rest of the patrol scrambling to catch up to him. Blazepaw pelted after the older cats, a steady rhythm of fear pounding inside him with each step. If Silentpaw really was staying close to the lake, it would be all too easy for the mud and the water to pull her in. She could drown if they didn't find her soon.

     It didn't take long for the patrol to reach the lake. Blazepaw tried to ignore how his chest seemed to tighten in fear when Silentpaw wasn't there. “Alright, we need to split up and do a sweep around our part of the lake,” Bramblestar announced when they got there. “Seedlight, Toadstep, Blazepaw, you go that way, the rest of us will got the other.”

     Blazepaw followed the older warriors, trying to keep from trembling all over. They had been out in the rain a while now, and he could feel the cold biting into his skin, the water in his pelt dragging him down like a weight.

     They stuck along the edge of the lake, the mud trying to suck down their paws as they searched for the apprentice. Their search took them all the way to the WindClan border, where Toadstep ordered them to halt. “We can't go any further,” he said firmly.

     Panic spiked in Blazepaw's heart. “But Silentpaw could be out there!” he protested.

     “I know. But if there are any WindClan warriors about, they won't thank us for being on their territory.” The black-and-white warrior's gaze softened as he looked at the apprentice. “Come on, we're all cold and exhausted. Let's report back to Bramblestar, see whether he wants to keep looking.”

     Blazepaw wanted to argue further, but in the end, respect for a warrior won out. He bowed his head, alllowing Toadstep and Seedlight to lead him away. They returned to where Bramblestar had ordered them off. A few minutes later, Bramblestar's half of the patrol returned as well.

     “Nothing!” Birchfall spat, lashing his tail. “Not even a whisker. She could be in RiverClan's territory by now with the head start she has.”

      _Or in the lake,_ Blazepaw thought. Bramblestar seemed to guess his thoughts. He laid his tail tip on Blazepaw's back, telling him in a low voice, “Don't worry, Blazepaw. We'll find her. But for now, we need to get back to camp.” At Blazepaw's panicked expression, he promised, “I'll send another patrol out at dawn once everyone's rested up. But there's nothing more we can do tonight.”

     “Alright,” Blazepaw mewed quietly. He felt like all the fight had been drained out of him. The rain and the cold left him feeling small and helpless as a kit. All he wanted was to curl up in his nest and never come out.

**SCENEBREAK**

     “What happened?”

     “Did you find her?”

     Blazepaw's entire body seemed to droop as he followed the patrol back into camp. He vaguely heard Bramblestar telling the other cats that they hadn't found Silentpaw yet, and to get some sleep. Everything seemed blurry, like a dream.

     “Blazepaw!” The apprentice looked up in time to get attacked with rubs and licks from Cinderheart. “You were all gone so long.” Lionblaze was beside her. He laid his head on his son's shoulders, trembling hard enough to make Blazepaw's teeth chatter.

     “We didn't find her,” he told his mother dully. He closed his eyes, letting himself be comforted by her soothing licks. He felt like a kit again, desperate to be reassured that everything was alright.

     Cinderheart let out a weak purr. “I know,” she told him. “It's alright, Blazepaw. She'll be fine. You know how tough Silentpaw is.” Lionblaze didn't say anything, just leaned harder into his son's embrace, still trembling.

     Blazepaw tried to believe his mother's words. “Yeah. You're right. She'll be fine,” he echoed, trying to convince himself that he believed it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and it's plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.
> 
> Ugh, not totally happy with how this chapter turned out, but oh well. I apologize for all the awkward action and going back and forth from places really fast. And for the really short length. The next one should be much longer, I promise.


	13. Chapter Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silentpaw tries to make it to RiverClan territory.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Eleven

     Silentpaw was lost.

     The wind was hurling itself against her, throwing a never-ending torrent of rain at her. She couldn't smell or hear anything, other than the shrieking howl of the storm. All she knew was that she was no longer beside the lake's edge. She kept trying to feel for the water's edge, but all she felt was mud, mud, and more mud. It dragged her paws down, making every step a challenge. It also clung to her fur, making her pelt feel heavy and cold.

     She was also fairly certain that she wasn't in ShadowClan's territory, or ThunderClan's. There didn't seem to be any trees around her. If she had to guess, she'd made a wrong turn and had ended up on the moors of WindClan. At least the warriors here were a little less likely to just attack her, but it was still a problem. There weren't any trees here, so there was absolutely no shelter from the terrible rain. At least if she was in the pine forest of ShadowClan, she could use the trees to mark her progress. Here, she couldn't tell whether she was going in circles.

     Silentpaw trudged onward, her tail and head hung low. She had absolutely no idea where she was, or how to get to RiverClan. And the storm seemed to only be getting worse and worse. Her whole body felt numb, soaked through to her bones; her paws and tail were like ice, and she couldn't feel her legs anymore. She didn't know how much longer she could go on in this storm.

     Without warning, the ground dipped under Silentpaw's feet, sending her stumbling down into the ditch, splattering her with mud. The apprentice let out a growl, throwing a glare up to the sky. “Are you just determined I never reach RiverClan?” she hissed, though there was no fire in it. She knew, perhaps better than some of her Clan, that StarClan couldn't control everything. It just felt good to throw barbs at somebody, as thought she had the fire to fight, rather than feeling as weak as a kit. She gave a final sigh, then tried to stand, only for her legs to buckle under her.

     The apprentice fell back onto the ground, panting. She yelped in surprise, trembling as she lay alone in the mud.Terror and alarm seized her. She couldn't even get up anymore. The young apprentice had never felt so helpless, or exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to curl up in her nest and never come out. But she couldn't. “I can't stop!” she gasped, not caring that there was no one to hear her. “StarClan, please. I need to help them.”

     Silentpaw lay like that in the mud for several minutes, just trying to get her strength back. The confidence she'd felt when she first left ThunderClan's camp was starting to fade. She was starting to understand why Bramblestar hadn't wanted to send anyone out in the storm. As much as she hated to admit it, he had been right. It wasn't safe to make any cat travel like this. But she couldn't turn back. She had made a promise to help RiverClan, and she was going to keep it, unless this StarClan-forsaken rain drowned her first.

     Suddenly, something warm brushed against either side of her pelt, sending warmth coursing through her pelt. Silentpaw felt new strength flowing to her limbs. _“Get up, young warrior,”_ a low voice whispered. She could feel warmth breath on her ear, but couldn't catch the scent of any Clan, only the faint smell of starlight.

      _“We will show you the way,_ ” another voice murmured, female this time. A tail brushed against her flank, causing her to flinch in surprise. These cats seemed to have come out of nowhere. The apprentice knew she should be asking more questions about who they were, but strangely, she wasn't afraid. She just knew that she had to get up, and they would help her however they could.

     Silentpaw gritted her teeth, then gathered her paws under her, and pushed herself up to standing. Her legs were still completely numb under her, but at least she was up. And the longer the cats were beside her, the stronger her legs felt, and the more feeling returned to her limbs. “Thank you,” she murmured, though she had no idea what they had done to help her.

     The pelts of the two cats brushed against hers. _“Follow us,_ ” the she-cat told her.

     Silentpaw breathed in the scent of stars and ice. “Who are you?” she asked.

     A tail flicked nearby. _“You are not the only cat who has ever tried to help RiverClan,”_ came the tom's reply. That only left Silentpaw with more questions, but before she could ask any of them, she felt the cats starting to walk forward beside her. The apprentice reluctantly allowed herself to be led without further question, walking side by side with the strange cats. With them beside her, Silentpaw felt warmth and strength flowing through her pelt. The cold and rain didn't seem to touch her anymore.

     The strangers' steps seemed sure and steady. They didn't falter as they led her through the moorlands. They headed through the grass and the mud for several minutes in silence. Silentpaw was working up the nerve to ask them who they were again when suddenly, they were gone. She started in surprise. “Huh?” Her head swung side to side, tasting the air to try and catch their scents. “Wait! Where did you go?”

     There was no answer. The strange star-scent was gone. All that was left was the pounding rain, and the sudden rush of cold.

     Silentpaw let out a hiss. “Perfect.” The only cats who had any clue where she was supposed to go had deserted her.

     She was about to start off again anyway when a startled cry sounded a few paces away. “Silentpaw?”

     Her head twisted towards the sound. The voice sounded familiar but she couldn't place it. Without the warm star-cats at her side, Silentpaw finally felt fear. “Who's there?” she called out boldly, trying to hide the tremor in her voice.

     Paws scampered nearby, and suddenly there was a muzzle in her face. “Are you crazy? What are you doing here?”

     Silentpaw blinked in shock. “Darkbreeze?” She recognized the WindClan warrior's scent from the Gathering. Suddenly, she had to wonder whether this was who the star-cats had led her to. If they were what she was starting to suspect they had been, that had to be a good thing. She reached forward, brushing muzzles with the warriors with a purr. “Oh, StarClan, am I glad to see you!”

     Darkbreeze's muzzle jerked back. The she-cat's voice was suddenly hard as she hissed, “Silentpaw, this isn't a joke. You're trespassing on my territory!”

     The apprentice's tail shot up indignantly, her fear suddenly forgotten. “I'm not trespassing!” she insisted. “Well, I guess I am. But it's not my fault! I tried to stay two fox-lengths from the lake, but I got lost.”

     Darkbreeze stiffened in surprise, then shook her head with a growl. “That's not the point. What are you even doing here in the first place?”

     Silentpaw hesitated. “Bramblestar has a message for RiverClan,” she finally mewed. “I'm to deliver it.”

     The warrior snorted. “In this rain, by yourself?” she challenged.

     The apprentice's ears flicked uncomfortably. She scrambled for something she could tell Darkbreeze, anything that wouldn't give away RiverClan's weakness, or her own deception. “Well, what are you doing out in the rain?” she demanded.

     There was a brief pause. “Nightfern is missing.”

     “Your sister?” Silentpaw hadn't met her, but she had been announced as a new warrior at the Gathering.

     Darkbreeze nodded. “She went hunting after the Gathering, and I haven't seen her since.” The warrior's voice was dull, but Silentpaw could hear the raw fear underneath. “Ashstar says we can't send out any more patrols in this weather. But I couldn't just sit around in camp and do nothing. My sister is out there.” Her voice broke on the last part, reduced to a soft whimper. “She could be anywhere, she could be in the lake, or in a ditch, or starving or lost or dead. I had to do something.”

     “So you're going after her yourself.” Guilt weighed heavily in Silentpaw's chest. Was that how Blazepaw was going to feel when he realized she was gone? And Lionblaze and Cinderheart? The guilt was almost enough to make her want to turn and race back to ThunderClan as fast as her paws could carry her, but her stubbornness was stronger. She had told herself she would help RiverClan, and that was what she was going to do.

     “Yes. But I haven't had any luck.”

     Silentpaw sighed. “Darkbreeze, I'm so sorry.” She reached out and laid a paw on Darkbreeze's shoulder. She wasn't sure how the warrior would react to the gesture from an enemy apprentice, but Darkbreeze almost seem to sag into the touch, sighing. She must have been out for hours looking for her sister. She sounded completely exhausted. Silentpaw couldn't imagine what it would be like to be missing her sibling that long. At least she knew Blazepaw was safe back in ThunderClan. Darkbreeze had no clue where Nightfern was.

     Darkbreeze stayed like that for several moments before drawing back, clearly forcing her tone to be brisk as she mewed, “Now, you still haven't answered my question. Why are you here, really?”

     After a few moments of scrambling for a convincing lie, Silentpaw finally admitted defeat. “Dovewing saw that RiverClan was in trouble because of the storm,” she told Darkbreeze. “I wanted to help them, so I ran away. But I got lost, and I don't know my way there. But I have to help them. I have to.” She hated to reveal RiverClan's weaknesses to an enemy warrior, but if she had any hope of reaching RiverClan with her pelt fully intact, her only choice was to trust Darkbreeze. “Please, Darkbreeze, you can't tell anyone!”

     There was a long pause. Silentpaw held her breath, every hair on her pelt quivering. She could only pray that Darkbreeze still cared that they were kin, and decided to trust her. She couldn't bear the thought of having left to help RiverClan, only to be the cause of WindClan attacking them. Finally, the warrior spoke in a low voice. “I won't tell.”

     Silentpaw's legs felt weak with relief. “Thank you,” she breathed.

     Darkbreeze just flicked her tail. “I don't want to see cats suffer any more than you,” she said. “Now come on, I'll take you to RiverClan's border.”

     “Really?”

     “Of course,” Darkbreeze replied. “I can't just leave you wandering the moor like a lost kit. You'll end up with your legs broken in a ditch. Everyone knows ThunderClan cats are helpless.” Silentpaw was surprised to hear the enemy warrior speaking a teasing mew. She started off, her tail tip brushing against Silentpaw's muzzle. The apprentice followed her.

     Silentpaw snorted. “Yeah, and you'd probably bang your head into a tree if I left you in the forest too long,” she retorted. Darkbreeze just purred in response, her tail flicking. Silentpaw felt her muscles relax as she fell into easy banter with the enemy warrior. She knew her Clanmates would disapprove of her easy friendship with a cat from another Clan, but as long as she was breaking the warrior code by disobeying her leader to help RiverClan, she didn't think making a new friend would cause much more harm.

     The WindClan warrior led Silentpaw confidently through the moor, her tail brushing against Silentpaw's shoulder to guide her around rabbit holes and bushes. She didn't seem bothered by the rain or mud at all. Silentpaw supposed it came from constantly living without shelter from the weather. Silentpaw couldn't help but be impressed. WindClan clearly weren't just the scared rabbit-chasers Spiderleg liked to grumble about.

     Without warning, the ground under Silentpaw's feet was suddenly hard and slick. She flinched in surprise, leaning her head down to sniff at it curiously. It smelled of stone, and something stronger, and ranker. “Ugh. What is this?”

     “It's a twoleg path,” Darkbreeze explained without turning back. They trotted briskly on, soon leaving the path behind. “We're getting close to the horseplace.”

     Silentpaw tipped her head. “You mean where Daisy came from?” The soft she-cat had spoken about her old home a few times, but only sparingly. It sounded like an easy place to live, with an abundance and prey and soft places to sleep, but it sounded too much like being a kittypet for Silentpaw's taste. To close to twolegs.

     “Yes.” They kept going, Darkbreeze keeping silent. As they walked on, Silentpaw caught the scent of twoleg, and something else. It began to grow stronger and stronger, until it was overwhelming. “We're here,” Darkbreeze informed her.

     The apprentice wrinkled her nose. “I couldn't tell,” she mewed dryly. She couldn't sort out the scents enough to tell where the den itself was, or how big it was. The stink of twoleg and the other thing was filling her nose and her head, leaving barely any room for thought.

     Darkbreeze purred in sympathy. “It stinks, I know, but we should be pretty safe. I doubt there'll be any twolegs out in this rain. They hardly come out this late, anyway. Come on.”

     She led Silentpaw on another one of those paths, then back onto the grass. After a while, she halted beside something tall and wooden. Silentpaw stood beside it, sniffing it curiously. “It's a fence,” Darkbreeze said in answer to her unspoken question. “It goes all around this field. There are horses inside.”

     “Horses?”

     The WindClan warrior sniffed. “Big, dumb animals. They carry twolegs sometimes. But they're big, and they have feet like stone.” She crouched, tail-tip twitching. “Listen, I'm going to lead you across the field. RiverClan's territory is just on the other side. But once we're across, you'll have to find your own way. I can't trespass on their territory.”

     Silentpaw laid her tail tip on Darkbreeze's shoulder. “I understand,” she told her. “Thank you for helping me as much as you have. You don't have to take me through the field, I can make it on my own. Your Clanmates must be missing you.”

     Darkbreeze shook her head. “You're not going to be able to hear or smell where these things are in the rain, and if one of them steps on you, their feet are hard enough to break a cat's spine. I'm not letting you go alone,” she mewed firmly. Silentpaw felt the fur on her back prickle at the thought. “I can worry about my Clanmates later.”

     The apprentice purred. “Thank you.”

     “You're welcome. Now get ready.” Silentpaw crouched beside Darkbreeze, her muscles tensed and ready. “Now!” They took off together, pelting across the field. Silentpaw tried to stay close to the warrior as she ran. She could hear snorts and cries of surprise around her, probably from the horses, but she focused on following Darkbreeze.

     They quickly made it to the other side of the fence. They slowed to a halt, panting. “Whoa. They aren't kidding when they say that WindClan cats are faster than other cats,” Silentpaw said between pants. Her legs were trembling with the effort of keeping up with the lithe she-cat.

     “You kept up pretty well for a forest cat,” Darkbreeze mewed cheerfully. She didn't seem to be winded at all.

     Silentpaw was out of the field, but Darkbreeze was still inside the fence. Silentpaw knew that this was the end of the line for Darkbreeze. From now on, she was on her own. Somehow, that thought didn't scare her probably as much as it should have. She'd gotten this far; the rest of the journey didn't seem as daunting now.

     Darkbreeze's voice broke through her thoughts. “I have to go now, or my Clanmates really will start missing me. Good luck with RiverClan.”

     “And you with finding your sister,” Silentpaw returned. She reached forward, touching her nose to Darkbreeze's. “Let me know if you find her,” she said in a friendly mew.

     “I will.And let me know how it goes with RiverClan.”

     Silentpaw paused. “You know, I think StarClan led me to you on the moor,” she mewed casually. “There were two cats, and they smelled like starlight. I think they wanted me to find you. So they must want us to be friends.”

     Darkbreeze just shook her head with a purr. “If you say so. I hope starry warriors aren't the only reason you want to be friends,” she teased.

     “Of course not.”

     “Good. Thanks again for helping me at the Gathering,” Darkbreeze purred. “I guess I'll see you gain at the next one, whenver that happens.”

     With a final, friendly flick of her tail, Darkbreeze turned and ran off, leaving Silentpaw sitting by herself beside the fence, inside RiverClan's territory. The small she-cat sat by herself for a moment, thinking about what lay ahead of her, and what she still had to do. She felt a new surge of confidence. She had made it through mud and rain and enemy territory. The hard part of her quest was over. The rest was going to be a piece of prey compared to what was behind her. She would help RiverClan, then go back home and tell Bramblestar that he didn't need to send a patrol anymore. Sure, they probably wouldn't be very happy with her at first, but they would get over it when they realized why she did what she did. It would all work out. 

     After a few moments, she got to her paws, and started off into RiverClan's territory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and it's plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.
> 
> I've been wanting to write this chapter for a while. I've had it in my head for ages.
> 
> Anyway, Silentpaw and Darkbreeze meet up again, and seem like even stronger friends for it. I'm starting to really adore Darkbreeze, she's kind of adorable. Good think she turned out better than her father.
> 
> Any guesses who the StarClan cats are? I'll reveal it later, probably, but I want to see if you guys get it right first.
> 
> So now Silentpaw is headed to RiverClan's camp. What kind of welcome do you think she's going to get? And how do you think Blazepaw and ThunderClan are faring?
> 
> Also, I pretty much wrote this all in one sitting. And procrastinated my homework, and stayed up until 5 AM. Again. *sigh*


	14. Chapter Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silentpaw arrives in RiverClan.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Twelve

     Silentpaw tail was held up confidently as she padded through RiverClan's territory. The ground was still wet and muddy under her paws, and the rain still pounded down, but there was a new spring in her step. The rain almost seemed to be letting up a little, and she had made it all the way to RiverClan. Nothing was standing in her way now.

     The only problem that remained was to find where the RiverClan cats were staying. She knew they had been driven from their camp by the floodwaters. They probably would have found higher ground, somewhere the lake couldn't reach them. Silentpaw just had to find where that was.

     The lake had spilled out onto a good portion of RiverClan's territory. Silentpaw had to draw back fairly far uphill to avoid the water's edge. She could barely step anywhere without straying into a pudlde or swoleen stream. The apprentice was about to stop and rest for a moment and get her bearings when she heard grass rustle softly behind her.

     Silentpaw barely had enough time to even turn her head before something heavily slammed into her side. She and it tumbled in the mud, twisting and writhing. The apprentice felt claws rake her side, letting out a howl. She struck out blindly, but none of her hits seemed to land. Her opponent pinned her down easily. “Tresspasser!” a voice spat in her ear.

     “Let me go!” Silentpaw snarled. She thrashed and writhed desperately, but the weight of her enemy didn't so much as budge.

     “Yarrowpaw, let her up.” The new voice was female, and sharp with authority. Silentpaw's attacker growled, but reluctantly released her. The apprentice leaped to her paws, spitting with fury. She heard the she-cat approaching her, pausing a few whiskers away from her muzzle. “You smell of ThunderClan. What are you doing on our territory?” There were other cats too, shuffling paws and twitching tails, but Silentpaw couldn't tell how many.

     Silentpaw forced her hackles to lie flat, even though the fury of battle still burned in her veins. It seemed that she had found RiverClan at last. Starting a fight was the last thing she wanted. “I came to speak with Mistystar,” she mewed clearly.

     A muzzle poked at her pelt. “You can't be more than eight moons,” the she-cat mewed gruffly. “What's a scrap like you doing so far from your territory alone?”

     “I just told you,” Silentpaw snapped impatiently. “I need to speak to Mistystar. Can you take me to her?”

     Her attacker's voice sounded again in a sharp hiss. “Minnowtail, we should chase her off. She's trespassing!”

     The she-cat, Minnowtail, whirled on the apprentice with a snarl. “Hush, Yarrowpaw!” She turned to face Silentpaw again, tail twitching thoughtfully. “Mistystar will want to know there are ThunderClan cats here. We'll take her back.”

     That announcement was greeted with murmurs. Another cat stepped forward, voice low with uncertainty. “This apprentice doesn't need to be brought to camp, surely. We could bring Mistystar here to her.” Silentpaw realized the warrior didn't want to show the enemy apprentice that they'd been driven from their home. She felt a rush of irritation. Wouldn't it just be easier for every cat if the Clans weren't twisting themselves into knots trying to hide their weaknesses from each other?

     Minnowtail replied firmly, “We need to return to camp anyway. It will be moonhigh soon, and we shouldn't be out so late in this storm.” In a lower voice, she assured the warrior, “It'll be fine, Leafdrift.” She flicked her tail, commanding Silentpaw, “Come. We will take you to our camp.” Minnowtail started off, the patrol and Silentpaw following. She heard Yarrowpaw not far behind her, grumbling under his breath. He clearly wasn't pleased with Minnowtail's decision either.

     As they walked along, the fourth cat in the patrol slowed to walk beside Silentpaw, brushing against her pelt. “Silentpaw, are you frog-brained?” a familiar voice hissed in her ear. “What are you doing here?”

     Silentpaw's head jerked towards him in surprise. “Eelpaw?” She remembered the tom from the Gathering who had been so scared of climbing.

     “Who did you think?” he grunted. “What are you here to tell Mistystar?”

     The apprentice hesitated, then lowered her voice and admitted, “I'm here to help you. I know you lost your camp.”

     Eelpaw's head jerked back. “That's none of your business,” he growled. “My Clanmates aren't going to be happy to see you. You should have stayed in ThunderClan.” Before Silentpaw could retort, he hurried to catch up to his mentor, leaving Silentpaw alone again. She lashed her tail, fur fluffing up irritably. _What was that furball's problem?_ she wondered.

     The patrol made it's way throug RiverClan's territory. They seemed to be heading up a slope of some kind. The ground was littered with various debris, scattered reeds and twigs blown about by the wind and rain. Thick, tangled grass and debris kept tripping up her paws, but no cat moved to help her. She gritted her teeth and pulled her paws loose, scrambling to keep up with the long-legged warriors.

     Finally, they reached a small clearing, encircled by a pile of boulders. They passed through a couple scraggly bushes, leading them into RiverClan's new camp. Silentpaw was instantly slammed with an onslaught of new scents and sounds. So many cats, smelling of reeds and fish, and with their own individual scents all tangled up together. She could hear them murmuring to each other, voices hushed. A thick scent of fear hung in the air, causing her fur to bristle uncomfortably. These were scared, desperate cats driven from their home.

     Silentpaw could tell when the cats started to notice her. She heard their murumrs turn curious, paws shuffling as cats approached them. Minnowtail paused, tail flicking. “Leafdrift, go tell Mistystar that we have a visitor,” she ordered. The other warrior bounded off, leaving them to be greeted by the rest of the Clan.

     An older tom sniffed at Silentpaw, his neck fur bristling. “Who's this? A trespasser?”

     “Stealing prey, no doubt!” another cat snarled.

     “Thief!”

     Silentpaw was surrounded by angry, snarling cats on all sides. Her pelt fluffed up in shock. She had known they would be desperate and starving, but she hadn't expected them to turn on her so quickly.

     Minnowtail met the anger of her Clan calmly. “This apprentice has come to speak to Mistystar. It will be up to her what will be done with her. Until then, no one is to harm her.”

     Someone snorted nearby. “Who died and made you deputy?”

     The she-cat pinned her ears back and mewed stiffly, “Do you want to be the one who chased out a potential spy from another Clan without consulting Mistystar first?” There was no reply. The other cat backed down, tail twitching irritably.

     Silentpaw could still hear the other cats grumbling. Her tail still trembled, but she forced herself to lift her head proudly and make her fur lie flat. She refused to show any fear in front of these cats.

     Every cat fell silent, the only sound the soft pawsteps of an approaching cat. “Well. Who is this?” Silentpaw recognized the voice of Mistystar from the Gathering. She felt a rush of relief. Now this could all get sorted out.

     “My name is Silentpaw,” she informed the leader. “I am an apprentice of ThunderClan. I came to speak with you.”

     Mistystar sat before the apprentice. Silentpaw couldn't hear her tail or ears or paws move, or any other sign of what the she-cat might be feeling. “Very well. Then speak.”

     Silentpaw hesitated. She would have rather spoken with the leader in private, but Mistystar's tone didn't leave room for any argument. The apprentice drew herself up to her full height, standing proudly before the she-cat and her Clan. “Dovewing saw what happened to your camp. I know you've been having trouble hunting.” This was met with hisses and yowls from the Clan, but Silentpaw ignored them and went on, “I came to help you.”

     “Spy!” That yowl came from Yarrowpaw. “You heard her! Her Clanmate has been spying on us, and now she's come to see how weak we are.”

     A young she-cat sneered, “Typical ThunderClan! Always sticking in their noses where they don't belong.”

     Mistystar waved her tail, and her Clanmates instantly fell silent. “That's enough,” she mewed calmly. “If ThunderClan wanted someone to spy on us, I think they would have sent someone other than a blind apprentice.” Silentpaw heard some surprised murmurs. She felt a brief flash of amusement – had they really not realized she was blind? “Besides, why send a cat at all when they have Dovewing?”

     “You think she's telling the truth?” a tom near Silentpaw mewed in surprise.

     The leader lifted her chin. “I believe she is here because of what Dovewing saw. But perhaps not with her leader's permission?” Silentpaw tried and failed not to shuffle her paws uncomfortably. “You left without telling any cat, didn't you?”

     Silentpaw hesitate, then dipped her head. “Yes,” she admitted. “Bramblestar didn't send me. I came on my own.”

     “I see.” Silentpaw wasn't sure, but she thought she heard a trace of amusement in Mistystar's mew. “Do you realize how many parts of the warrior code you're breaking just by being here?”

     The apprentice shrugged and pointed out, “The warrior code isn't everything. I couldn't just sit by while cats were suffering.”

     “And how exactly do you plan to help us, little one?” Mistystar's voice grew hard. “You thought you would just show up and save us all by banishing the flood with a wave of your tail and summon prey with a flick of your ear?” Silentpaw was stunned into silence. “One blind apprentice is not going to catch more prey than the patrols of warriors we already have. We don't need another mouth to feed, we need more prey, and that's not something you can just fix on your own.”

     Silentpaw just stared at Mistystar in silence. After what the leader had said, she couldn't think of a thing to say to her. She had broken the warrior code to come here, disobeyed her Clan and her leader in order to help cats in need. She'd thought that she was doing something great for another Clan. But Mistystar's cutting words had halted her in her tracks. Her fur suddenly felt blazing hot with embarrassment. Now all of these cats must think she was just a foolish kit who had delusions of grandeur. All she wanted was to help these cats – was that really such a bad thing to try to do?

     She fluffed up her pelt, desperate to explain herself. “Well, I can hunt really well,” she explained hastily, trying to ignore how her pelt burned under the gaze of so many cats. “And I know how to catch mice and squirrels and stuff, and I just thought, you know, with the lake all flooded, fish wasn't really an option at the moment. And I wouldn't just be another mouth to feed! I can hunt for myself.” Silentpaw's embarrassment start to fade, replaced by anger. Why was she the one getting a lecture when she just wanted to help?

     “We'll see,” was all Mistystar said. There was a pause. Silentpaw waited in front of the leader, brislting indignantly. “Very well. Reedwhisker, Finpaw, Mossyfoot, you and Silentpaw will go on a hunting patrol once this meeting has ended. Bring back whatever you can find.”

     Silentpaw blinked in surprise. “Now?” She had spent a good portion of the day slogging through mud and rain, and the rain was still pouring. Her limbs were aching from the effort of her travels, and it was nearly past moonhigh. All she wanted to do was curl up in a nest for the night.

     “Yes.” There was no room for argument in the leader's voice. “You say you're here to hunt, so you will hunt. And you will be expected to hunt your own prey, as you said you could. Afterwards, you will sleep in the appretnices' den. Yarrowpaw, can you make up a nest for her?” The apprentice snorted, but didn't argue. “Very well. This meeting is concluded. Everyone else, get some rest for the night. You'll all need your strength for hunting tomorrow.” With that, the leader waved her tail, a clear sign of dismissal. The gathered crowd began to break up, cats going their own way and heading to their dens for the night. Mistystar left for her own den, leaving Silentpaw alone with the cats she had ordered for the patrol.

     A voice spoke behind Silentpaw. “Well, we'd better be off.” The voice was male, so Silentpaw assumed it was Reedwhisker. The deputy's tone was hard and clipped. It seemed he wasn't any more pleased about the ThunderClan apprentice helping them out than any other cat. Silentpaw tried not to look too irritated as she and the other cats grouped around him.

     Reedwhisker led the small patrol out of the camp, back out into the mud and debris. As they walked, no cat said a word. Reedwhisker walked stoicly at the front, and Mossyfoot kept sneaking little glances at Silentpaw, as if she wouldn't be able to tell just because she was blind. As for Finpaw, the young she-cat was completely ignoring Silentpaw. She walked in icy silence beside her, close enough for her tail to brush her shoulder, but she didn't even look at the ThunderClan cat. Silentpaw lashed her tail angrily, but didn't bother to say anything. If Finpaw wanted silence, that's what she would get.

     She sped up to walk beside Reedwhisker, leaving Finpaw behind. “So, where are we going to hunt?” she asked in a deliberatly cheerful tone.

     The deputy glanced down at her. “The hawthorn bush at the bottom of the slope. We've found some mice there before.” He let the young she-cat walk beside him without comment, though Silentpaw could hear his tail tip twitching.

     They descended down the slope, until they reached the scraggly bush. Silentpaw opened her jaws to taste the air, but she couldn't catch any preyscent anywhere. Just rain and mud. At least the rain had slowed a bit, but she didn't see any way they were going to catch anything in this weather.

     As she had guessed, over the next few minutes, they had absolutely no luck catching anything.They nearly had a mouse that scampered by, but it got away. Silentpaw couldn't help but wonder how RiverClan cats ever caught anything, with technique like that. Reedwhisker's pounce had been sloppy, and Mossyfoot had made a clumsy swipe that missed the mouse by a tail-length. Silentpaw could see why these cats were having trouble keeping themselves fed.

     After a while, Reedwhisker finally said, “Alright, let's split up. We're more likely to catch something if we spread out. We'll meet up back here.”

     Silentpaw and the others dipped their head to the deputy. They all started to go off their seperate ways to hunt. While the other cats started heading further up the slope, Silentpaw decided to try further down. She slunk low against the ground, carefully sniffing the air and keeping an ear out for the scuttling of any prey.

     For a long time, there was nothing. Silentpaw was starting to feel truly miserable. She was completely exhausted, and after what felt like ages of hunting, she couldn't even find a single scrap of prey. Hunting had never been this difficult. She was starting to think helping RiverClan was going to be a lot harder than she had planned.

     Just when the exhausted apprentice was ready to head back to the deputy in defeat, she caught the faintest whiff of something. A water vole, not too far away. Hope flared in the apprentice's chest. Maybe this hunt wasn't going to be a total failure after all.

     She crouched immediately, creeping along the ground, low enough for her belly fun to skim the ground. Silentpaw could hear it, chittering as it nibbled at a grass blade. Her breath caught; she hardly moved as she listened for it, trying to pinpoint exactly where it was and how to get to it. She thought she heard grass rustle softly nearby, but she ignored it. All her attention was focused on the water vole.

     The apprentice leaned back, gathering her power into her hind legs. She was moments away from pouncing on the creature when something exploded out of the bushes, leaping at the water vole. After a moment's shock, Silentpaw recognized Finpaw. Her jaws snapped at the water vole, but it scurried out of reach with a _squeak_ of shock. Finpaw gave a frustrated snarl as it began to run away.

     Silentpaw hurled herself at the vole, a swipe from her sending it tumbling away in the grass. It seemed slow; Silentpaw guessed it was probably half-drowned from the rain and mud. She and Finpaw chased it down together, Silentpaw holding it down while Finpaw nipped its spine. The water vole gave a final jerk, then fell motionless under their paws.

     The two apprentices stood over their catch, staring at it in surprise and trying to get their breath back. “Thanks,” Silentpaw finally mewed.

     Finpaw glanced at Silentpw, staring silently at her for a few moments before giving a snort. “Hardly enough meat on this for a kit,” she sniffed. The apprentice leaned her head down and gingerly plucked the water vole off the ground, getting up and carrying it off in her jaws. Silentpaw followed her, bristling with irritation. Couldn't the she-cat just be pleasant for one night?

     When they returned to the hawthorn bush, they found Mossyfoot and Reedwhisker already waiting. From their twitching tails and the lack of prey-scent, they hadn't caught anything.

     Reedwhisker looked up as they approached, ear flicking in surprise. “You caught something!” His tone sounded much friendlier now. He and Mossyfoot got to their paws to greet the apprentices, sniffing their pelts when they reached them.

     Silentpaw nodded. “We caught it together.” She definitely wasn't going to let Finpw take all the credit for the catch.

     Finpaw dropped the vole at her paws, giving her chest fur a few licks. “It's not much, but at least it's something.

     “Well done,” Mossyfoot purred, touching noses with her apprentice. Her tone grew clipped as she addressed the ThunderClan apprentice. “Silentpaw, you can carry it back to camp.”

     The apprentice obediantly picked up the rodent, following the RiverClan cats as they started to make their way back towards their new camp. She tried not to feel annoyed that she'd been relegated to the role of carrying everything without so much as a thanks. After all, walking into camp with prey in her mouth might help prove that she wasn't useless after all.

     They reached the camp again as the morning-birds began their songs. As they passed through the bushes into camp with prey in their jaws, the few cats still awake approached them murmuring curiously.

     “You actually managed to catch something.” That mew came from Minnowtail. She stood in front of the apprentice, ears perked and tail held high. “Not bad.”

     Silentpaw's ears flicked towards the leader's den. She rememered what Mistystar had said about catching her own prey. She knew that if she wanted to eat tonight, her only option was the water vole, but she couldn't let her first catch in RiverClan territory be for herself. Reluctantly, the apprentice dropped the vole at her paws and told Minnowtail, “I'll leave this on the pile for the others. I'll be fine for tonight.”

     Minnowtail just nodded. “Very well. Get some rest – there's a lot of hunting to be done tomorrow. You too, Finpaw.” The warrior gave Finpaw a lick between the ears, purring deep in her chest. Silentpaw remembered Ivypool mentioning that Minnowtail was Eelpaw and Finpaw's mother at the Gathering.

     Silentpaw dropped off their catch on the fresh-kill pile, then both appretnices made their way to the apprentice's den. The makeshift den was formed by a couple of branches propped up against one of the boulders circling the camp. The boulder jutted out in a way that allowed a couple cats to shelter underneath, as long as they were lying down. Eelpaw and Yarrowpaw were already curled up in their nests for the night. Finpaw retreated to her nest beside Eelpaw, ignoring Silentpaw entirely as she sniffed around for her own nest. Yarrowpaw had laid out a few scraps of moss, just enough for Silentpaw to comfortably lie on.

     The young she-cat felt wet and miserable as she curled up on her nest of moss. All of the other apprentices were curled up together, but she was a few mouse-lengths away, leaving her cold and alone. She sighed, trying to ignore her wet fur and empty stomach, and let herself drift off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and it's plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.
> 
> I stuck with Silentpaw again with this chapter, but Blazepaw will show up again next chapter, don't worry.
> 
> Anyway, now we get to see Silentpaw's arrival in RiverClan, and the kind of reception she got there. And I finally managed to push a chapter past three thousand words.
> 
> What are your thoughts on her arrival in RiverClan?
> 
> Also, for those wondering, the StarClan spirits who helped Silentpaw find Darkbreeze were Firestar and Hollyleaf.


	15. Chapter Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ThunderClan searches for Silentpaw.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Thirteen

     It wasn't quite dawn yet. The sky was still dark, sunlight only just starting to peak through the trees, and the crickets were still singing in the distance. And yet Blazepaw was awake, and couldn't seem to fall back asleep.

     The apprentice's sleep had been troubled the last two nights. Two days of searching and patrols were starting to leave him exhausted, and yet whenever he tried to sleep, his mind kept turning to where his sister could possibly be. Thoughts of her being washed into the lake and drowning in the murky waters kept him tossing and turning long after his denmates had fallen asleep.

     Blazepaw could hear Amberpaw snoring across the den and Dewpaw's tail and hind paws twitching. Snowpaw's pelt was brushing against his as the white tom's sides rose and fell evenly in his sleep. The other apprentices were sleeping soundly, while Blazepaw could only look on miserably, trying to ignore how his pelt trembled with exhaustion. Finally, he admitted defeat and rose to his paws, picking his way carefully out of the den.

     As he made his way out into camp, Blazepaw could see the first pale lights of dawn spilling over the edge of the stone walls of camp. The rain was very light today, but the sky was still cloudy and miserable. Very few cats were awake at this time – it wasn't quite time for the dawn patrol to gather yet. The only cats that seemed to be awake were Poppyfrost, who was standing guard at the camp entrance, and his mother. Cinderheart sat beside her sister, the two she-cats huddled together with their heads hunched over side by side. They were murmuring to each other, and Poppyfrost's tail was draped comfortingly across her sister's back, but Blazepaw couldn't hear what they were saying.

     Both she-cats looked up as Blazepaw approached them. “Up already?” Poppyfrost mewed in surprise as the apprentice and his mother touched noses in greeting. “I didn't think the next search party left until sunhigh.”

     “Can't sleep?” Cinderheart asked knowingly. She gave Blazepaw a couple soothing licks to his ear. While normally he would have squirmed away, for now he closed his eyes and just let his mother comfort him.

     “Yeah. Too many dreams.” He pulled back, looking between the two warriors. “Have you seen any sign of her?” he asked, hopeful even though he knew what the answer would be.

     The sisters exchanged a glance, then shook their heads. “Nothing. I'm sorry, Blazepaw,” Poppyfrost said softly. The apprentice tried not to feel too crushed. What had he expected? That Silentpaw would just show up in the middle of the night, after two days of being gone? He sighed, hanging his head. Cinderheart's shoulder brushed against his, but he didn't look up at her. He just didn't have the energy to face her, or his Clanmate. His worries weighed too heavy on his mind.

     He was broken out of his dark thoughts by the sound of more cats approaching. When he looked up, he saw Ivypool and Jayfeather trudging out of the woods towards camp. The two cats looked exhausted. Of all of the warriors, Ivypool had gone on the most search parties, and had even gone off on her own several times to search for her apprentice. As for Jayfeather, the snappish tom had barely spoken to any cat since Silentpaw had gone missing. When he wasn't out searching, he was holed up in the medicine den and refused admission to any cat who wasn't sick or dying. Both cats were running themselves ragged trying to find Silentpaw. From the glazed look in their eyes, they had been out all night searching for her.

     “Nothing,” Ivypool mewed wearily, coming to stand before the other cats. Her legs were trembling enough for Blazepaw to see, and her tail dragged low in the dirt. “Not a trace. I searched everywhere I could possibly think.” Jayfeather just stalked past the other cats, retreating back to his den without a word. For once, Blazepaw wished he had Jayfeather's gift, if only to know what the tom was thinking.

     Cinderheart padded towards the she-cat, touching her nose to Ivypool's ear. “I know,” she told the silver-and-white tabby.

     Blazepaw could just barely hear Ivypool's mew. “I'm sorry, Cinderheart. I shouldn't have let her leave camp. This is my fault.” He was shocked by how small she sounded, her mew soft and kit-like.

     His mother pulled back sharply, giving the younger warrior a curt glare. Blazepaw had almost forgotten that Cinderheart used to be Ivypool's mentor, but he could see it now in the stern way she looked at her. “Nonsense,” she mewed briskly. “No cat could do more for my daughter. Now go get some rest.” When Ivypool opened her mouth to argue, Cinderheart cut her off. “You've been out there since moonrise. You keep going, you're not going to be awake enough to walk, let alone anything else. You'll be no use to Silentpaw or any other cat that way. Now go.” Cinderheart wasn't Ivypool's mentor anymore, but there was no mistaking the clear order in her tone.

     Ivypool hesitated, then gave a short nod and slunk away. She wobbled unsteadily as she walked away. Blazepaw almost offered to go help her to her den, but he knew he'd get claws raked over his ears as thanks. Instead, he turned back to his mother. “Should I take over?” he asked quietly. “There's probably somewhere Ivypool didn't check.” He knew he was being desperate and irrational – after two days of searching, he doubted there was a scrap of ThunderClan territory that hadn't been checked for the lost apprentice. But he had to try something.

     Poppyfrost shook her head. “It's not long before dawn. The next patrol will be leaving soon. Let them handle it. You should get some sleep too, little one.” She must have seen the dejected slump to Blazepaw's shoulder, for her tone softened. “I'm sorry, Blazepaw. I know how hard it is to lose a littermate.” Cinderheart stiffened, her eyes flashing with grief. “But right now, there's nothing else you can do.”

     Reluctantly, Blazepaw nodded. “Alright. Wake me if there's any news?”

     “Of course,” his mother mewed. She butted his shoulder with her muzzle. “Now go. You're no good to anyone worrying yourself into the medicine den.”

     Blazepaw turned and padded off towards the apprentice's den. As much as he hated to admit it, his mother was right. He wasn't going to do any cat any good if he was too tired to stay steady on his paws. The small tom trudged to his den, where Brightheart and Cloudtail's kits were all still asleep. He curled up in his nest, his tail curled tight around himself, and tried to will himself back into sleep. After a bit of tossing and turning, he finally drifted off.

     “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the High Ledge for a Clan meeting!”

     Blazepaw's head shot up in surprise. It was still dark and rainy out, but time had clearly passed. His denmates' nests were all empty, and from the scent, they hadn't been slept in for quite a while. He felt a jolt of surprise to realize how long he had been out.

     The young tom got up and padded out of the den, ears perked curiously. A large crowd was gathered around the High Ledge. Bramblestar stood atop of it, and, to Blazepaw's surprise, so did Dovewing. The heavily pregnant she-cat looked tiny compared to the massive leader, but her belly looked large enough to burst. Blazepaw couldn't imagine it would be much longer until her kits arrived.

     He joined his Clanmates, finding Snowpaw in the crowd and sitting beside him. His friend spared him a quick glance, then looked back up at their leader. Bramblestar waited until every cat was present and silent before he began. “Dovewing has news about Silentpaw,” he announced.

     Blazepaw's heart froze in his chest. He stared desperately up at the queen, who looked uncomfortable when every cat's gaze turned on her. “I saw her,” Dovewing told them. “Just a glimpse. But it was definitely her. She's safe, in RiverClan's camp.”

     The tense atmosphere faded. Mews and murmurs of relief broke out from the gathered cats. Something in Blazepaw's chest loosened, and he felt almost dizzy with relief. He hardly heard Dovewing's next words. “I heard her talking with one their warriors. She seemed pretty comfortable, if a little annoyed. If I had to guess, I'd say she not a prisoner. She's probably in no danger there.”

     “But she's still there. We have to get her back!” Blazepaw saw his father in the crowd, staring up desperately at Bramblestar and Dovewing.

     Bramblestar raised his tail, signaling for silence. “For the moment, it seems Silentpaw is safe with RiverClan. We can let her stay for a few days while our warriors restock the fresh-kill pile.” The huge tabby met Lionblaze's outraged glare evenly. “We will get her back, Lionblaze. I promise you. But she's in no immediate danger, and we need to eat. I will take a patrol myself in a few days, but for now, the search parties will stop. All warriors will return to their normal duties.” With that, the meeting was ended. Bramblestar escorted the unsteady queen off the high ledge, while Squirrelflight gathered the crowd's attention and began assigning patrols.

     Lionblaze stopped to speak briefly with Cinderheart before coming over to his son. His hackles still bristled with anger, but he was purring fiercely as he rubbed muzzles with his son. “She's safe,” he breathed. “Thank StarClan.” He pulled back, purring, “How are you feeling, Blazepaw? Better?”

     Blazepaw shuffled uncomfortably. “Yeah.” After the initial relief had hit hit him, he'd started to feel sort of odd. He didn't really know how to describe it. All he knew was that now that Silentpaw was definitely safe, he didn't really want to talk about it. “Um, I think I'm going to try and find Bumblestripe,” he finally mumbled. “Now that the search patrols are over, he'll probably want to get back to training.” Focusing on his training might help take his mind off of things for a bit.

     “Alright. But let me know when you're done. We should celebrate tonight.” With a final flick of his tail, Lionblaze padded away, stopping to chat with Mousewhisker and Molefoot. Blazepaw watched him for a moment, then padded off in search of his mentor.

     He had to weave through the lingering throng of cats to locate Bumblestipe. The pale tabby was speaking with Blossomfall, but the siblings looked up as Blazepaw approached. “Hello, Blazepaw,” his mentor greeted warmly. “I was very glad to hear that your sister is safe.”

     Blazepaw dipped his head. “Thanks,” he mewed quickly. “Er, I was wondering if we were going to train today?”

     Bumblestripe's tail kinked in surprise. He replied, “Training? Actually, I was thinking of giving you the day off. I'm sure you could use some time to relax after everything.” When Blazepaw's tail drooped, Bumblestripe's tone softened. “Don't worry. We'll train again tomorrow. But these patrols have been running you ragged. Take the day to rest. That's an order.”

     There was no room for argument in the warrior's voice. Blazepaw sighed. “Yes, Bumblestripe.” He left his mentor behind, heading towards the fresh-kill pile.

     The meeting was starting to break up. Cats were heading off to their dens, or getting ready for patrols, leaving the clearing deserted. The rain had softened to a drizzle, and sunlight was starting to peak through cracks through the clouds. Blazepaw wanted to feel happy that the weather was starting to turn around. But all he felt was restless. The apprentice picked a mouse out of the pile, but couldn't bring himself to eat. He just lay near the pile, picking absently at the creature with one claw as his head lay on his paws.

     He barely heard Snowpaw's approach. “Hey.” Blazepaw lifted his head, looking blankly at the older apprentice.

     “If you're here to tell me to relax, save it,” Blazepaw mewed bluntly. He was hardly ever this curt, but he'd had enough cats coddling over him for one day.

     Snowpaw's whiskers twitched. “Wasn't going to,” he sniffed. “I just wanted to know if you felt like hunting.”

     Blazepaw's ears perked with surprise, all annoyance forgotten. “Don't you have training?” he asked.

     “No. Mousewhisker's busy with patrols today.” He flicked his tail. “So, you coming?”

     The apprentice hesitated, then shrugged. “Sure. It's not like I have anything else to do today.” He got to his paws, abandoning his mouse and following his denmate towards the camp entrance.

     The two toms headed out into the forest. Blazepaw immediately started to feel better now that he was out of camp. The fresh air and the wild scents of the forest brought the life back into his limbs, and sharpened his senses again. He lashed his tail, unsheathing his claws as he took in all the little sounds of prey and leaves and grass.

     Snowpaw was watching him carefully, though his expression was as neutral as ever. “Better?” he asked.

     Blazepaw nodded. “Much, thanks.” He paused, signaling for silence with a quick flick of his tail. He'd caught the sounds of nearby scurrying. Crouching low against the ground, Blazepaw let his instincts take over as the thrill of the hunt blazed through every hair on his pelt. He stalked forward with an effortless silence, step by step, until he was almost on top of the creature, a vole by the scent. With a sudden burst of energy, he sprang forward, catching the small body with one swipe. He hooked it with his claws, tossing it into the air. It landed on the forest floor with a thud, where it lay, motionless.

     “Nice catch.” Snowpaw approched his friend, his white paws making no sound on the forest floor.

     Blazepaw just nodded in response. He plucked up the vole in his jaws, padding over to a nearby ash and tucking it under one of the exposed root. It only took a few scoops of dirt to cover it completely with dirt. Once it was hidden, he turned back to Snowpaw. “Think we might have more luck by those brambles? I thought I smelled finches earlier.”

     His friend nodded. “Good idea.” The apprentices left the burried vole behind, padding side by side.

     As they walked, Blazepaw felt his friend's eyes on him. He felt a burst of exasperation. “Did you bring me out here to ask how I'm feeling?” he asked bitterly. He knew he shouldn't be so short with everyone when they were just trying to help, but all these cats crowding him, asking after him without giving him any room to breathe, was starting to get old.

     Snowpaw shook his head. “We can talk if you want, but I just brought you out here to hunt. I promise. I figured you'd need the break.” He gave Blazepaw a friendly shove with his shoulder. “The camp can be pretty suffocating sometimes.”

     Blazepaw's pelt tingled with relief. He should've given Snowpaw more credit. “Thanks,” he mewed gratefully.

     They were distracted from their conversation by the sound of something snapping a twig nearby. Both cats instantly fell into a crouch, on total alert. By the sound of it, it was something far bigger than any prey, most likely another cat. An intruder.

     Side by side, the apprentices slunk forward, creeping up on the unsuspecting intruder. When they were close enough, they pounced. “ _Re-owrr!_ ” They landed on the intruders, tackling them.

     The cats shrieked in surprise. Blazepaw's opponent was surprisingly small, but was twisting and writhing with surprising strength to try and get away. “Get off, mousebrains!” she shrieked in a familiar voice.

     Blazepaw froze in surprise, giving his opponent enough time to throw him clear. He landed hard on his shoulder a tail-length away. “Amberpaw?” he mewed in shock, blinking at the small gray-and-white she-cat. She was glaring at him with fury, her pelt fluffed up to make herself look more threatening. A few fox-lengths away, Snowpaw had broken away from his opponent, whom Blazepaw now recognized as Dewpaw.

     Amberpaw spat furiously, “What in StarClan's name was that about?”

     “Oh. Sorry.” Blazepaw licked his chest fur, too embarrased to meet her eyes. “We thought you were intruders.”

     “Clearly,” the she-cat snorted. Her tone was still sharp, but her fur started to lie flat, her anger clearly dying down. She glared at her brother, who was licking a spot on his shoulder where Dewpaw's claws had nicked him. “Have you got fluff up your nose, or don't you know the scent of your own littermates?” she mocked.

     Snowpaw just gave her a pointed glare. “All I could smell was vole blood,” he sniffed, before returning to licking his wound.

     “It's not like we made ourselves known,” Dewpaw pointed out cheerfully. He had a small slice on his leg, but it didn't seem to be bothering him. He turned to Blazepaw, explaining apologetically, “We were going to sneak up on you. We thought it'd be fun.”

     Blazepaw's whiskers twitched in amusement, but Snowpaw was glaring at his littermates. “What are you mousebrains doing here in the first place?”

     Amberpaw sat, curling her tail around her paws. Her mew was a bit friendlier as she explained, “We heard you two were going hunting, and our mentors are out on patrol. We figured we'd tag along and help Blazepaw stop moping around camp like a useless badger.”

     Blazepaw wasn't terribly surprised by Amberpaw's lack of tact. It was in the tiny she-cat's nature to say exactly what was on her mind without a thought of holding back. But Snowpaw seemed annoyed. He glared at his siblings, then gave Blazepaw a questioning glance. It seemed to say, _I'll tell them off if you like._ He had promised Blazepaw a peaceful hunt away from camp, after all, not to have to deal with his energetic littermates.

     But Blazepaw didn't mind. He was feeling more awake now, and didn't mind the thought of the company. “Sounds good to me,” he mewed. “Let's see what the four of us can catch together.”

     The four apprentices stayed out until sundown, gathering a considerable pile of fresh-kill between all of them. It had definitely been a good day of hunting. They had stayed out in the mist, playing and relaxing, and had brought back enough prey to help replenish the fresh-kill pile, along with the other patrols' contributions. Blazepaw's heart was light for the first time in days. He turned into his den for the night with a full stomach and an easy conscience.

     Blazepaw fell asleep easily that night, but was roused from his dreams by a distant cry. His head shot up. He could hear his denmates muttering and groaning around them. Outside the den, the gentle drizzling from earlier had once more turned into harsh, pounding rain. Beneath the sound of the rain, Blazepaw could hear a cat yowling.

     “The camp!” It was Toadstep, from the camp's entrance. “The camp is flooding!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and it's plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.**
> 
> I'm bolding that part this time because this part of my fanfic is even more similar to Bramblestar's Storm than the rest. But I came up with the idea of ThunderClan's camp flooding long before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. I've had this idea sitting in my head for months. So please, please do not accuse me of stealing from the Erins.
> 
> Moving on, I wanted to show more of the friendship between Snowpaw and Blazepaw here. Other than Hollypaw and Cinderpaw, we really haven't seen much of our main characters having really strong friendships with cats other than their littermates since Firestar and Graystripe. So I decided to give Blazepaw a best friend, Snowpaw. I'll be showing more of their friendship later.
> 
> Don't worry, the next chapter I'll be sticking with Blazepaw, so you don't have to worry about waiting to see what's going on with ThunderClan's camp.


	16. Chapter Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A panicked cry wakes Blazepaw in the night.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Fourteen

     “ThunderClan, wake up! The camp is flooding!”

     The words snapped Blazepaw into total awakeness. He sprang to his paws, his denmates scrambling to theirs around him. He heard yowls and cries of confusion around him from his half-awake denmates, but he knew there was no time to answer questions. “We have to go now!” he yowled at them. Luckily, that seemed to get their attention. They started to scramble out of the den, hurrying out into the camp. Blazepaw followed, butting Amberpaw's flank with his head when she struggled to keep up.

     Outside, the camp was in chaos. Terrified, half-awake cats were spilling out of their dens, clamoring and yowling over the rain. Blazepaw realized with horror that the floor of the camp was already lined with a thin sheet of water, and was filling fast.

     Over the screeches of the panicking cats, Blazepaw heard a thunderous yowl. The rest of the Clan fell silent in shock, turning to the source of the yowl. Bramblestar stood atop the High Ledge with eyes blazing with strength. “ThunderClan, now is not the time to panic. We must keep our heads to get out of this.” He waited until every cat's wailing had died down, then continued, “We need to get out of camp. Toadstep, what about the bramble entrance?”

     Toadstep, who was still standing by the entrance, shook his head. “The grass is thick with water out there,” he warned the leader. “The lake's flooding; if we go that way, we'll be swept away.”

     Bramblestar nodded absently, his gaze clouded with thought. Blazepaw's heart froze when he saw how the leader's pelt bristled, even under the heavy weight of rain. If their leader was as terrified as they all were, how in StarClan were they going to get out of this?

     “Bramblestar!” That was Leafpool. The former medicine cat pushed her way through the mass of cats, throwing her words up to the leader. “There's the path we used to get Daisy and Ferncloud out of camp during the badger fight. Towards the back of camp, up the rocks. It's easier to climb there.”

     The leader's eyes lit up. “Good. Elders and kits will be evacuated first, then warriors. Everyone, move!” The Clan scrambled to do as Bramblestar had ordered. Cats were moving everywhere, finding kin and friends, hurrying to help elders or carry kits. He saw Dewpaw pluck up a squealing Petalkit in his jaws as Hazeltail watched anxiously, and bounded over to help.

     “I can carry Finchkit,” he offered.

     Hazeltail's eyes flashed with fear, but she nodded. “Alright. Be careful.” She left her kits with the apprentices, hurrying to help Spiderleg.

     For their part, Petalkit and Finchkit didn't seem to realize the danger they were in. “Why is the ground all wet?” Petalkit squeaked curiously. “And why is everyone running around?”

     Blazepaw ignored the question and scooped up Finchkit in his jaws. He and Dewpaw followed the throng of cats, who were all heading to a far corner of the stone wall that circled the camp. When they pushed past the brambles blocking the wall, they saw that part of the stone had crumbled away, leaving a less steep path up the rocks that a cat could climb. It was still fairly tall, and a fall from up high would have nasty consequences, but it was a climbable path to high ground.

     Bramblestar and Squirrelflight were there, yowling instructions and organizing cats into groups. "Let the queens and elders up first!" Blazepaw could see Bumblestripe slowly leading the heavily-pregnant Dovewing up the slope, with Birchfall and Cloutail just above them, and Foxleap, Spiderleg, and Hazeltail were already at the top, watching the cats below. Snowpaw was herding Sparkkit towards the rocks. He tried to pick up the kit by the scruff, but Sparkkit whirled on him with a furious, "I can climb by myself!" Snowpaw relented, letting the cream-and-white kit start climbing ahead of him.

     Dewpaw and Blazepaw pushed their way to the front of the crowd, Hazeltail's kits mewling protests in their jaws. Bramblestar took one look at them and nodded. "Start climbing once Sorreltail and Millie are up," he ordered.

     They nodded obediently. Once Dovewing and Bumblestripe finally reached the top, Toadstep and Ivypool began leading Sorreltail and Millie up the path. The elders were all moving at an agonizingly slow rate, and the water was rising quickly. It was already lapping at Blazepaw's legs, reaching up towards his belly fur. He held Finchkit high, keeping him free of the murky water.

     Over the pounding rain, Blazepaw heard Bramblestar murmuring to his mate, "After the kits, you should go with Poppyfrost."

     Her ears flattened against her head. She mewed in outrage, "I'm not leaving this camp until all of our Clanmates are safe." Bramblestar opened his jaws to argue, but she cut him off. "I'm not just a queen, I'm the deputy. I have a duty to my Clanmates. And no mouse-brained, overbearing leader is going to talk me out of it!"

     The leader and deputy locked gazes for several moments, glaring each other down, before Bramblestar looked away. "Fine. But don't stay too long."

     The elders and their escorts were still climbing above them. Sorreltail's hind legs slipped off the rocks. She startled to fumble, but Millie reached out, quickly grabbing the tortoiseshell's scruff in her jaws. With the strength of a warrior half her age, Millie dragged Sorreltail higher up until she was able to find stable footing again. Once the tortoiseshell got her breath back, she gave Millie a grateful nod. They completed their climb, joining their Clanmates above the stone hollow.

     Bramblestar turned to the apprentices. "Your turn," he rumbled. "Be careful."

     Blazepaw have a small nod of assent, causing Finchkit to squeak when his tail dipped in the water. It was as high as Blazepaw's belly now.

     The two apprentices began climbing the rocks. They had to go slow to find all the crevices and nooks where their paws could find purchase. The rocks were sleek with rain under Blazepaw's claws, making it hard to keep a good grip on the surface without slipping. He tried to keep his terrified trembling under control as his claws clung desperately to the rock. _No wonder Sorreltail slipped._

     Blazepaw crept up the rocks slowly and carefully, Dewpaw just behind him. The rain was still pounding down on both of them, making it nearly impossible to look up at the slope ahead of them. The apprentice had to squint and duck his head to avoid rain filling up his nose and eyes. He had no way of knowing how close to the top he was; he just had to pray he didn't have much farther to climb.

     “I'm all wet!” Petalkit declared from below, her voice rising into a plaintive yowl. “Why can't we go back to the den?” Blazepaw heard Dewpaw give a low purr to assure her, but neither apprentice could speak around the kits in their jaws.

     Blazepaw's legs were starting to ache, and his paws trembled with the effort of his climb. He heard a yowl above him, close over his head. “You're almost there!” Strong teeth grasped his scruff, hauling him up onto the edge overlooking the hollow. Blazepaw collapsed onto the grass, dropping Finchkit and panting heavily. The kit squeaked, bounding away from Blazepaw to rejoin his mother.

     Once he got his breath back, Blazepaw peered over the edge. Dewpaw was just below him, still clinging to the rock. “Come on, you're nearly there!” he called out to his denmate. Ivypool stood beside him, ready to help pull the apprentice and kit onto the safety of the ground above. Cloudtail was there too, and Hazeltail, who peered over the edge while Finchkit waited behind her paws.

     Dewpaw reached out with one paw, trying to find purchase. As he did, his hind claws slipped loose of the crevice, his soft pads slipping uselessly on the rain-sleek rock. His forepaws fell loose of the rock, and he began to fall back.

     “ _No!_ ” Ivypool and Blazepaw reached for Dewpaw at the same time. But it was too late. Petalkit screamed in terror as she and Dewpaw fell, writhing and twisting uselessly in the air. Dewpaw's body slammed against the stone wall as he fell with a sickening _thud_ , and was completely limp as he fell down to the floor of the camp. Blazepaw stared at the camp below in total shock. It couldn't be. Dewpaw couldn't be dead.

     The cats below wailed and screeched in terror. The murky water below had swallowed up Dewpaw's body. Brightheart raced over to his side, sticking her muzzle in the water to sniff her son. Her body shook as she let out a desperate wail. “He's dead! They're both dead!” she cried, her voice shaking with grief. “My son, oh, my son.” She crouched beside him, wailing as she laid her chin over his body in the water.

     Up on the ledge, Foxleap stiffened, jaws parting in an agonized yowl. “Petalkit!” He moved to go back down the slope, but Hazeltail got in his way, using her greater bulk to block him. Foxleap tried to shove past her, but she grabbed him roughly by the scruff, yanking him away from the edge. Her mate struggled desperately to break loose. “Let go of me! I need to help her! She could still be alive!”

     “Dewpaw fell on her, Foxleap.” Ivypool's voice was choked with grief and shock, but she stood steadily in front of Foxleap, blocking his path. “She's dead. You can't help her.”

     Foxleap tried to pull free again, but his struggling eventually broke down into crouching pathetically and wailing. Hazeltail released her mate's scruff, and crouched beside him, letting him burrow against her as he shook and wailed. Unlike her mate, she was perfectly still, eyes closed and expression like stone. Finchkit hung back behind them, trembling like a leaf and his eyes wide as moons. With a jolt of horror, Blazepaw realized he had seen his sister's death.

     The ground seemed to sway under Blazepaw's paws. His head felt terribly light, all the sounds around him muffled. He just couldn't understand what had happened. Dewpaw had been fine just yesterday. They had played and hunted together, Dewpaw had joked like he always did. He was clinging to the rock just moments ago. And now he was gone. It all felt like a dream.

     He could see Cloudtail staring blankly ahead in shock, Snowpaw pressing against his side to hide his own trembling. Amberpaw was still down in the hollow, staring at Dewpaw's body with huge eyes, watching her mother wail with grief. Hazeltail and Foxleap were still huddled together. The tabby's wailing had died down to a low moan of grief. The rest of the Clan seemed almost frozen in shock, like Blazepaw.

     It was Bramblestar who brought them back to their senses. “We have to keep going,” the dark tabby called out to the cats. Blazepaw could hear the tremble in his tone, but the leader stood strong before his Clan. “Seedlight, Blossomfall, lead Brightheart to safety. Lilyfrost, go with Amberpaw and Lightkit.”

     Brightheart barely moved as Seedlight and Blossomfall nudged at her flanks. It took Blossomfall physically hauling Brightheart up by her scruff for the elder to snap out of her funk. She shook herself free, then allowed herself to be led where the warriors pushed her. Amberpaw was trembling, but she followed Lilyfrost without protest.

     Blazepaw watched in blind shock as the rest of the cats made their way up the path, one by one. Finally, only Bramblestar and Squirrelflight remained. Before they began their climb, the leader and deputy turned to their Clanmates' bodies. Bramblestar lowered himself to the ground and slid Dewpaw's body over his shoulders, while Squirrelflight gently scooped up Petalkit's body in her jaws. Once their fallen Clanmates were secure, they began their climb.

     The ginger queen's belly was heavy with kits, with made her a slow, clumsy climber. But Bramblestar stayed patiently beside her, aiding her when she needed, just staying beside her when she didn't. The water had risen above a cat's head by now, and was still climbing by the time they reached the ledge. ThunderClan could do nothing but watch as their camp was swallowed by dark, forbidding water.

     For several moments, no one moved. They all just stared down at their camp in horror. Finally, Birchfall broke the silence. “Where will we go?” He spoke in a hushed mew, but even with the rain pounding, every cat heard him.

     Bramblestar hesitated. The leader had stayed strong to this point, but now Blazepaw could see that he was starting to falter. Even as the leader failed to answer, though, an idea started to come to Blazepaw. “What about the abandoned twoleg nest?” he suggested quietly.

     His Clanmates, one by one, turned to look at him. He nearly faltered under the gaze of so many cats, but forced himself to explain. “It's farther from the lake and on higher ground than the camp, and it should offer shelter from the rain.”

     Bramblestar's eyes lit up. “You're right. That's our best option.” He rose his voice to a yowl and announced, “We must head for the twoleg nest! Everyone stay together.” Squirrelflight began weaving among her Clanmates, assigning cats to help the elders and to carry the kits.

     “Blazepaw!” The apprentice only had a few moments' warning before he was attacked on both sides. Lionblaze and Cinderheart were nuzzling and licking him fiercely, trembling hard enough for Blazepaw to feel it down to his bones. “Thank StarClan you're safe,” Lionblaze breathed.

     Blazepaw didn't realize how hard he was shaking until he felt Cinderheart put a paw on his back to steady him. He leaned into his parents' embrace, the truth and horror of what he had seen finally hitting him. His denmate and friend was dead, and so was a kit, a young, innocent kit. _Oh Silentpaw,_ Blazepaw thought mournfully, _why did you leave? Your Clan needs you, now more than ever._

     Once Squirrelflight finished giving her orders, ThunderClan began its long, miserable march through their territory. Every cat trudged on in silence. Dewpaw's body was still slung over Bramblestar's shoulders; Dewpaw's parents and littermates surrounded the dark tabby, walking beside Dewpaw in silent grief. Hazeltail had taken Petalkit from Squirrelflight, and was now carrying her with an expression of stone, while Foxleap carried their wide-eyed son.

     The moon was starting to fall by the time they reached the twoleg nest. Every cat was completely exhausted. The elders were slumping against the warriors, and even after the trauma of what he had seen, Finchkit managed to fall asleep in his father's jaws.

     When they reached the nest, Bramblestar led his cats inside. There was only just enough room for every cat inside. Bits of the wall and roof had crumbled away, but there was just enough of the roof left to lend shelter from the rain. Once every cat was inside, Bramblestar leaped atop part of the collapsed wall and stood before his Clan. Dewpaw and Petalkit's bodies had been laid out in the center of the den, every cat gathered around them.

     “Tonight, we sit vigil for our fallen Clanmates, taken from us far too soon,” he rumbled. “But we must also look to our survival for the next few days. Our fresh-kill pile is lost to us. We need more prey as soon as possible. Mousewhisker, Berrynose, Birchfall, Blossomfall, I need you out hunting by dawn, so get some sleep. Anyone else who needs rest, find somewhere to sleep. The rest of us will keep vigil.

     “But before we begin our vigil, there is another duty I must perform.” The leader's voice was heavy with grief as he spoke, but he still managed a hint of warmth as he mewed, “Even through this tragedy, we must celebrate life, and our future. We have lost one apprentice tonight, and he shall be honored by StarClan forever. But two more apprentices shall join our ranks. Lightkit, Sparkkit, step forward.”

     Blazepaw's tail lashed in shock. Bramblestar was going to make new apprentices _now_? Lightkit and Sparkkit looked just ask shocked, but obediently approached their leader. They barely looked excited; their expression were dull with grief and horror. Blazepaw didn't envy them, having their special moment in the middle of such loss. But he supposed he could understand Bramblestar's choice. The Clan was scared and grief-stricken. Knowing there were more warriors in training, and that Clan life was going on even with their camp and two of their members lost, was bound to reassure them.

     Bramblestar looked down on the apprentices and announced, “From this moment on, until he has earned his warrior name, this cat will be known as Lightpaw.” The tom's eyes lit up for a moment, blazing with pride at the sound of his new name. “Birchfall, ever since the Dark Battle, you have proven to be nothing but a loyal and dedicated member of our Clan. Your experience and your courage will make you a fine mentor for this young cat.” Birchfall blinked in surprise, then left Cloudtail's side, coming to touch noses with his new apprentice.

     The leader then turned to his littermate. “From this moment on, until he has earned his warrior name, this cat will be known as Sparkpaw.” The newly named Sparkpaw's expression was solemn, and his pelt bristled uncomfortably. Bramblestar's gaze searched the crowd. “Cinderheart.” Blazepaw's mother looked up in surprise. “You were an excellent mentor to Ivypool, and you have more experience than most cats. The memories you carry, and the courage and loyalty you have shown in this life, will make you an excellent mentor for Sparkpaw.” The gray she-cat approached her new apprentice. Sparkpaw was measuring Cinderheart with a cautious expression. _Probably wondering if she's more medicine cat than warrior,_ Blazepaw thought bitterly. He and Sparkpaw had never really gotten on well. After a few moments, however, Sparkpaw touched noses with his new mentor without a fuss.

Bramblestar lifted his head proudly. “ThunderClan will endure, just as it always has. Rest tonight, and tomorrow, we will find new ways to survive.” With that, he leaped down again, coming to sit by the bodies of his Clanmates.

     Blazepaw crept towards the center of the den, where the bodies were laid out. Petalkit looked eerily small in death, more like a scrap of fur than a cat. Beside her, Dewpaw law stretched out. His eyes, usually full of goofy cheer, were closed. He looked so peaceful. It seemed wrong.

     Cloudtail and Brightheart were at his side, Amberpaw and Snowpaw crowded with them. Blazepaw hesitated, then crept in beside them, lowering himself before Dewpaw and touching his nose to his friend's pelt. _Sleep well, Dewpaw,_ he thought silently. _May you run with warriors of old and find more fat, juicy mice than you could ever eat._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and it's plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.
> 
> Hehe. I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm really not.
> 
> Another chapter that I've been looking forward to writing for a long time. I figured it's been a long time since a kit died in ThunderClan (I think the last one was Larchkit and Hollykit?), so I'd throw in some proper kit-death, and an apprentice death to boot.
> 
> We also get Sparkpaw and Lightpaw apprentices. Sparkpaw's mentor was something of a last-minute change. I realized the mentor I'd picked out wasn't going to work because of something way, waaaaaay in the future, so I switched to Cinderheart. I think it's going to be more interesting with her as the mentor anyway. We'll see how that goes.
> 
> Back to Silentpaw next chapter. It's been a few days, so let's see how RiverClan has been treating her since we left her.
> 
> Also, I am fully aware how similar this situation is to Bramblestar's Storm. But I didn't look at BrS at any point while writing this scene, to make sure it was as uninfluenced by it as possible.


	17. Chapter Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silentpaw begins training RiverClan.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Fifteen

     “Silentpaw!”

     The apprentice jolted awake. “Huh?” For a moment, the stench of fish and lake-water clogged her nose, and she panicked, not sure where she was. Then she remembered.

     “Come on, the training group's waiting for you.” With that, Grasspelt pulled his head back out of the apprentice's den, leaving Silentpaw to try and fully wake up.

     Ever since Silentpaw had come to help RiverClan, it had been a non-stop bustle of patrols and hunting and training. She'd barely had more than a few moments rest each day between waking for the dawn patrol and crawling into her best after the moonhigh patrol. She'd never had to do so much hunting and patrolling in her life. It was starting to take its toll.

     The other problem was the severe lack of food to go around. The lake had swallowed up a good portion of RiverClan's territory. Fishing was impossible with the lake like this, and none of the RiverClan warriors were accustomed to hunting land prey. And with their territory so restricted, they barely managed to catch enough to feed the kits and elders, let alone every other cat. Silentpaw was probably the best hunter in the Clan now, and she was expected to hunt for herself on top of hunting for the Clan. Even after just three days, Silentpaw's pelt was starting to cling pretty close to her bones.

     The she-cat waited until she felt fully awake, then headed out of the already empty den. It was only just dawn, and only the dawn patrol and the cats in Silentpaw's training session were awake and about.

     Minnowtail lifted her head as Silentpaw approached the group. Grasspelt, Eelpaw, and Finpaw were among them. "Good, you're awake," she mewed. "Let's go, then." In the few days she had been there, Silentpaw had learned that Minnowtail was one of RiverClan's most senior warriors, along with her mate, Mallownose. The she-cat worked nearly as much as the deputy and leader, constantly out on patrols and hunting to keep the Clan safe and fed. She could be a bit bossy, but she was an impressive warrior.

     Minnowtail led the group out into the territory, taking them to a flat clearing higher up the slope. It had been declared the temporary new training grounds. Since Silentpaw had been trained to hunt ground prey for two straight moons, she had been asked to host various training sessions to teach the RiverClan cats to use ThunderClan hunting techniques.

     When they reached the hollow, Silentpaw stood before the cats. She'd worked with Minnowtail before, but the rest of these cats were all new to her training. "We'll start with some basic crouches," she told them.

     Predictably, Finpaw was the first to complain. "We're not kits who've never hunted before," she snapped. The apprentice's ears were flat against her head, and her tail flicking irritably.

     "If this were a fishing session, you'd be teaching me how to swipe with one paw,” she snapped back immediately. “The basics are important and different for each style of hunting. So shut it.” She ignored Finpaw's outraged snarl and turned her attention to the rest of the cats. “Show me your best hunting crouch. I'll tell you how you're doing.”

     It didn't take long for the next objection to come up. “ _Show_ you?” Grasspelt mewed, voice sharp in surprise. “But you're blind.”

     Silentpaw heard a sharp intake of  breath from Minnowtail. She must be thinking that Silentpaw would get as ruffled as Jayfeather over such a callous reference to her blindness. But the she-cat just gave an impatient sigh. “Sight isn't the only sense, genius,” she reminded him. “Just do it.”

     All four cats fell into crouches. Silentpaw padded up to each cat, running her tail along their backs to check their posture. Minnowtail had attended some sessions already, so her crouch was pretty decent. It could still be a bit more collected. Eelpaw and Finpaw weren't quite low enough, and their postures weren't as balanced as Silentpaw would have liked. Grasspelt's crouch was the worst of them all – he was stiff and unbalanced, his tail held awkwardly.

     Silentpaw laid a paw on Grasspelt's shoulders, forcing him lower to the ground. “Here. Lower, and keep your legs tucked under you like this.” Her hind paw tapped against his legs, guiding them to the right position. She went from cat to cat, doing the same for each of them.

     She couldn't help but feel frustrated by the slow progress. After three days, the RiverClan cats' hunting wasn't advancing nearly as fast as she would have liked. These were all skilled hunters, just not with the skills they currently needed to survive. And learning new skills apparently took more time than Silentpaw had planned.

     “Good,” she mewed at last, though she felt far from it. “Now, let's see your stalking.”

     As she watched her trainees for the day practice, she tried to ignore the hard pit of dejection that sat in her stomach. Even with their new training, she wasn't sure these cats were going to be able to feed themselves. There simply wasn't enough prey to catch. The lake had become so swollen that nearly half of RiverClan's territory was lost to the water. Most of the prey had been scared off by the flood. What prey was left was hardly enough to feed the whole Clan. Silentpaw had never been in a situation where prey was this hard to find. She just couldn't understand how to get around it.

     At least her trainees were starting to make some progress. Eelpaw and Finpaw had started to pick up the right position for stalking. They were still noisier than Silentpaw would have liked, but they were definitely improving. Silentpaw brushed against Finpaw, noting how her limbs and body were postured. “Keep your tail lower,” she advised, nudging it down with her muzzle. “But great work.” Finpaw just snorted in response, but Silentpaw could hear a note of pride there.

     Silentpaw was working with Grasspelt on stalking silently when a new cat approached the training ground. “Silentpaw, you're needed for the next hunting patrol,” Heronstrike announced.

     “Already?” the apprentice groaned. The training session had barely started, and now she was being whisked away to another patrol. She barely had time to do anything productive anymore, jumping from one task to the next, and she was getting tired of having no rest after hunting patrols that caught no prey.

     “Yes. And these cats are needed elsewhere.” Heronstrike's tone was clipped – clearly, he wasn't a big fan of the ThunderClan apprentice. “They're waiting by the Thunderpath.” Silentpaw opened her jaws to argue, then turned away with a lash of her tail, storming towards camp while Heronstrike handed out instructions to the rest of the cats.

     She was still in a dark mood by the time she reached the Thunderpath. The lake had become so swollen that RiverClan had to retreat past the Thunderpath that lay behind their camp. There was a good stretch of territory behind that, but beyond lay another Thunderpath, larger than the first. Yarrowpaw, Pondbreeze, and Robinwing were all crouched beside it. “Hey,” she mewed shortly, flicking her tail in greeting as she approached them.

     Yarrowpaw hissed and Robinwing flattened his ears, but Pondbreeze at least attempted a friendly mew in reply. “Well, every cat is here,” Robinwing mewed finally, getting to his paws. “We can go.”

     “Go where?” Silentpaw asked. Her curiosity won out over her irritated mood.

     Robinwing flicked an ear towards the flat stretch of stinking stone as he explained, “Mistystar wants us to try hunting past the Thunderpath today. She thinks the best way to survive is to expand our hunting grounds.”

     Silentpaw couldn't suppress as a mew of surprise. Warriors hardly ever ventured outside of known Clan territory to hunt. If Mistystar was telling her cats to hunt in unknown territory, she must think RiverClan was truly desperate.

     The group of cats made their way to the very edge of the Thunderpath. Silentpaw's lip curled as they got closer; the path reeked of twolegs, and something far stronger and fouler. Her pelt fluffed up in shock as a roar sounded, getting louder and louder, before it screamed right past them, the wind tearing at them. Then it began to fade. Silentpaw's fur slowly started to lie flat, but she still felt shaken. “What was that?” she gasped.

     “A monster,” Yarrowpaw answered. He sounded smug for knowing something that Silentpaw clearly didn't. She resisted the urge to rake her claws over his ears.

     Robinwing's pelt bristled uncomfortably, but after checking both ends of the path, he mewed, “Silentpaw, you'll run with Pondbreeze. Yarrowpaw, you're after me.” After a brief silence, he hurled himself across the path, yowling back to them once he reached the other side safely.

     Yarrowpaw waited for a pause between the roar of monsters to run to join Robinwing. Silentpaw tried to hide how her fur prickled uncomfortably as Pondbreeze crouched beside her. “Just stay right next to me,” he mewed comfortingly. “We'll get across alright.”

     “Right,” she mewed distractedly.

     The apprentice suddenly found herself very glad that ThunderClan no longer lived next to an active Thunderpath. She couldn't imagine having to constantly run across a stinking path to avoid an enemy she couldn't see.

     Pondbreeze waited, crouched and ready to pounce, with his ears twitching to catch every sound. “Now!” he cried. He and Silentpaw took off. She stayed right by Pondbreeze's side, fear giving her the speed to match him stride for stride. It didn't take long for them to reach other side. Silentpaw made her final stride a huge leap, stumbling gratefully onto the soft grass. As she stood panting, Pondbreeze landed gracefully beside her, seeming unbothered by the run.

     Robinwing waited several moments before speaking again. “Everyone got your breath back?” he asked gruffly. Silentpaw's pads still felt sore and scraped from the stone, but she nodded. “Good. Then let's go.” He led them away from the Thunderpath, further into the trees beyond. Silentpaw started to feel more at home as they went on. This area was more forest-like than RiverClan's territory, with more trees and undergrowth. It felt like home.

     The four cats split up to hunt. Silentpaw felt far more at home slinking through the undergrowth, but even with the familiarity of the woods, hunting wasn't any easier. All the prey seemed to have fled. Even the birdsong was hushed. It took Silentpaw several minutes to finally catch anything, and all she managed to find was a scrawny vole.

     She was about to take it back to the other cats when leaves rustled behind her. The apprentice froze. The sound had stopped, but something still felt wrong. Her nose quivered as she tried to figure out what was behind her. There was something there, a scent, almost dog-like. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized what it was.

     A fox burst out of the bushes, large and snarling and lunging straight at her. Silentpaw couldn't see it, but it sounded _huge_. Silentpaw shrieked in terror. The fox was big and angry, and she hadn't had any battle training yet. She knew she stood no chance.

     The apprentice immediately dropped her vole, turned tail, and fled.

     She could feel hot breath and hear the snap of teeth behind her for a few strides, but then there was nothing. The fox must have stopped to snack on the vole she'd left behind. But Silentpaw didn't stop running. Even if the fox had stopped, there was no guarantee that it wouldn't finish the vole and come after her. The apprentice pelted through the trees as fast as her paws could carry her, until she slammed into a hard surface.

     “Oof.” The breath was knocked out of her lungs. She and whatever she'd knocked into tumbled in the grass, finally falling into a tangled lump on the forest floor.

     The thing she'd knocked into turned out to be a cat. It leaped to its paws, spitting with fury. “What's the idea?” Yarrowpaw spat, fluffed up to twice his normal size. The rest of the patrol was there too, mewing in surprise at the ThunderClan cat's sudden appearance.

     Silentpaw got to her paws, shaking herself out. She was panting heavily from her run, and now she was sore from running into the other apprentice. Once she'd stopped gasping enough to speak, she panted, “Fox, behind me.”

     Every cat instantly tensed for a fight. “How close?” Robinwing asked in a clipped tone.

     She shook her head. “Dropped my prey. Haven't heard it since.” Silentpaw twisted her head around to lick her shoulder fur until it lie flat. The encounter with the fox had truly rattled her, but she was determined not to let it show to these cats. She had come here to help them, they wouldn't want her around if they thought she was a scared little mouse.

     “You gave it your prey?” Yarrowpaw hissed.

     Silentpaw's ears flattened against her head. “What was I supposed to do? Let it shred me?”

     The other apprentice didn't seem impressed. He thrust his muzzle in Silentpaw's face, whiskers away from her as he snarled, “RiverClan is starving. We can't afford to lose any prey, let alone have you give it away at the first hint of danger!”

     Before Silentpaw could totally lose it and hurl herself and the annoying furball, Robinwing stepped between the two, tail flicking irritably as he glanced between the two of them. “That's enough,” he growled. “No cat should except any apprentice on their own to try and take on a fully grown fox.”

     “This must be the fox's territory,” Pondbreeze pointed out. “We wouldn't have run into it if we weren't hunting past our borders. Who knows what other kind of predators live out here?”

     Silentpaw felt a shiver of dead at the warrior's words. Would it be too dangerous for RiverClan to hunt beyond their own territory? What else could they do to survive at this point?

     Robinwing dipped his head. “We should inform Mistystar that it could be dangerous for our warriors out here. We'll leave now.”

     “Without any prey?” Yarrowpaw mewed, voice high in outrage.

     “It appears our only prey was left to a fox, so yes,” Robinwing replied curtly. “Let's go.” He turned and began stiffly padding off, not bothering to look if the rest of the patrol would follow. Silentpaw bristled at the warrior's tone. It was clear he blamed her for their patrol returning with empty jaws.

     Robinwing didn't speak as he led them back towards the Thunderpath. He walked on in icy silence, and Yarrowpaw was practically bristling with repressed anger. Silentpaw tried to ignore both of them, padding on with her tail held high with dignity. Pondbreeze slowed to walk beside her. “Sorry about those two,” he mewed quietly. “I think hunger's just making every cat a little more edgy.”

     “I suppose,” Silentpaw mewed in a clipped voice. The apprentice immediately regretted it when Pondbreeze's ears lowered, and he sped up to rejoin his Clanmates. She hadn't meant to be short with the only cat being decent to her. Besides, he was right about one thing. Every cat was going hungry. She couldn't see the warriors of RiverClan, but during their training sessions, she could feel how their pelts stretched tight over their ribs. These cats were starving. And nothing she did seemed to change that.

     The patrol made its way back to RiverClan's camp. Robinwing managed to catch a shrew that stumbled across their path on the way back, so they didn't go back entirely empty-jawed. It was still only sunhigh by the time they reached the camp. When Robinwing went to report to Mistystar, the rest of the patrol broke up. Silentpaw made her way to the fresh-kill pile. Since her patrol had come back earlier than expected, she wasn't needed for any patrols for a little while. She could finally have a break.

     Silentpaw didn't take any prey – she was still expected to feed herself. Instead, she stretched out next to it, washing herself clean. She tried to ignore the terrible hunger that gnawed at her insides. The she-cat was in a foul mood, bristling and muttering to herself, clawing at the dirt under her paws. She could hear the cats around camp murmuring about her, and a few cats even approached her and mockingly asked her if the next fox could chase her all the way back to ThunderClan for them. The apprentice did her very best to ignore them.

     As the lay there, listening to cats whisper and gossip, she heard soft pawsteps approaching her. “What's up with you?” a familiar voice grunted.

     She sighed as Eelpaw sat beside her. “Nothing,” she muttered.

     “Sure. Now say it again like you actually believe it,” Eelpaw said bluntly. Silentpaw just lashed her tail irritably. “Look, I'm sorry I was short with you the other day. But you did just come barging into my territory like you were above being chased out.”

     Her ears flattened. “I never did that!” she snarled. Then she forced herself to relax. She'd already annoyed one cat who was trying to help her, she didn't need to annoy another. “All I wanted was to help. But I never expected it would be this hard.”

     “Yes, because hunting for starving cats in a territory that has no prey was never going to be a challenge,” he mewed pointedly.

     Silentpaw admitted, “Well, yeah. But I thought after a few days, at least _something_ would have started to get better. I mean, the hunting here is ridiculous. I'm lucky if I catch a mouse all day. And I'm trying to teach cats to hunt better, but it's going so slowly, and it won't matter if there isn't any prey to catch. It just seems so hopeless.” She sighed, laying her head on her paws. “Maybe it was a mistake coming here. Clearly I'm not any use around here.”

     “Is that so?” Both apprentices froze. The RiverClan leader had managed to sneak up on both of them. Mistystar towered over them, completely and utterly still. Silentpaw couldn't read any body signals of hers, but her tone clearly indicated she wasn't happy.

     Eelpaw flattened his ears and flinched away from his leader's tone, but Silentpaw tried to keep her posture relaxed. “Um, hi Mistystar,” she mewed as cheerfully as she could manage.

     A single lash of the leader's tail silenced her. “You think you shouldn't have come here because after three days, you think it's too hard?” Mistystar's tone was hard enough to make Silentpaw flinch. “I have to ask, what exactly were you expecting? Three meals a day once you swooped in and saved us in a matter of minutes? What we're facing is serious. RiverClan is starving. We were driven from our home. Cats have _died._ This isn't some game where you get to play hero. It's going to take hard work and long nights with empty stomachs to bring RiverClan back to strength.” Mistystar had made her way in front of Silentpaw by now. She thrust her muzzle in the apprentice's face; it was everything Silentpaw could do not to shrink back in terror. “When you came here to help my Clan, you took on a warrior's responsibility. If you are going to be of any use to any cat, you will either suck it up and take it like a warrior, or leave.” She turned and stalked away, leaving Silentpaw lying in stunned silence behind her.

     Neither Eelpaw nor Silentpaw spoke for several moments. Both apprentices were trying to recover from the show of anger from such a formidable leader. Finally, Silentpaw got to her paws. “I think I'll go for a walk,” she told Eelpaw in a hushed mew.

     “You want me to go with you?” He still seemed a little stunned by his leader's anger, but at least he was being a bit friendlier.

     She shook her head. “No. I need to think. But thanks.” Still in a daze of sorts, she padded out of camp, no doubt leaving a steady trail of gossip in her wake.

     Silentpaw wandered through the territory, caught up in her own hazy thoughts. When Mistystar had lectured her when she'd first arrived, all she'd felt was embarrassed, and annoyed. But this time, the leader's words had finally hit their mark. She was overcome with shame. Mistystar was right. She had come to help cats in need, but she had also come to play the hero and make herself feel better. At the first sign of having to do actual hard work, she'd balked. She'd even considered abandoning these cats just because things weren't going as fast as _she'd_ have liked. What a self-absorbed glory hound she'd been.

     Silentpaw knew she wasn't a perfect cat. She could be very lazy, and arrogant, and defiant of authority. And RiverClan didn't need another useless mouth to feed. But they did need hunters, and cats who were willing to put in as much work as it took to keep this Clan fed. And even when the flood ended, ThunderClan was going to need a warrior who would work to be the best hunter and fighter that she could possibly be for the service of her Clan. Life as a warrior was never going to be an easy one. She was going to be expected to work and hunt and patrol, always pushing herself, always striving to be better and faster and smarter, until the day she left to join StarClan. But it was all worth it to hunt side by side with trusted friends, and to feel the wild blood of a warrior race through her veins as the thrill of the hunt took her. Silentpaw understood this now, more than she ever had before. Being a blind warrior was going to take more work than she ever imagined. But for herself, and for all the cats she would help, it would be _worth it._

     She just had to hope she could be the hard-working cat they all needed her to be.

     Silentpaw stayed out until moonhigh. As she padded back towards RiverClan's new camp, stumbling a bit under the weight, she heard whispers. They grew clearer as she drew closer. “No sign of Silentpaw?” That was Mistystar.

     “None. No cat's seen her since sunhigh.” Silentpaw recognized the voice of Rushtail, one of the younger warriors.

     Mistystar sighed. “I think we can assume at this point that Silentpaw has left us.”

     “Doesn't surprise me,” Rushtail sniffed. “Knew she'd go crawling back to her Clanmates the minute her stomach started growling. They're all soft as kittypets.”

     Silentpaw's ears perked as Eelpaw speak next. “She might still come back,” he said boldly. “I don't think she'd just abandon us.” She was both surprised and pleased to hear the apprentice defending her.

     “I had hoped she would stay, but it seems her fear won out after all,” Mistystar said grimly. “Very well. I will make the announcement to the Clan in the morning.”

     “What announcement?”

     Every cat turned to look at Silentpaw. She stood right in the entrance of the camp, staring back at them with fake innocence. In her jaws hung two mice by their tails, and a finch was laid out across her shoulders. It had taken half the day to catch them, but Silentpaw had been absolutely determined to prove to these cats that she was willing to put in the work.

     All three cats were silent in shock for a few moments. Then, Mistystar spoke. “You missed your patrols for the day.”

     Silentpaw dropped her prey, dipping her head to the leader. “I'm sorry, Mistystar, I forgot,” she told her honestly.

     “Hmm.” She wasn't sure, but the apprentice thought she heard warmth in the leader's mew. “Very well. Leave your catch on the fresh-kill pile, and take a mouse for yourself. You've earned it.”

     The apprentice suppressed a purr. “Thank you. But I think I'll go without eating tonight. I can catch myself something in the morning, but the elders and kits have to eat first.”

     “Very good. Get some sleep, and be ready for patrols in the morning.” The leader turned and padded away, and after a brief, confused pause, the warrior did the same. Eelpaw and Silentpaw were left alone.

     To Silentpaw's surprise, Eelpaw butted his head against her shoulder, purring. “I think you managed to impress Mistystar there,” he told her. “Come on, let's drop off your prey, then we can get some sleep.”

     As Silentpaw followed him to the fresh-kill pile, she couldn't help but hold her tail high in triumph. There were going to be a lot of hard days ahead of her. But she could face them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and it's plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.**
> 
> Sorry this came out later than I'd promised. I got caught up in schoolwork and such, and decided to catch up on sleep rather than write oodles of fanfic until 4 in the morning like I usually do. Like I did tonight. Fail. At least it's a really long chapter, to make up for it being late. Over 4 thousand words this time instead of 3 thousand.
> 
> Anyway, now we get more of Silentpaw in RiverClan. I tried to give as many warriors as I could a speaking role here.
> 
> We also see Silentpaw get some pretty armor-piercing words thrown her way, and see her think over her choices and motivations. Character development is one of my favorite parts of writing. I hope you enjoy Silentpaw's character arc as I develop her more, and Blazepaw too. Not to mention other characters who will grow and change.
> 
> We also get some awesome Mistystar. I imagine her being rather similar to Bluestar as a leader, honestly. Tough, noble, intimidating, utterly terrifying when angered, but ultimately fair and just.
> 
> Back to Blazepaw for the next chapter.


	18. Chapter Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ThunderClan settles into the twoleg den.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Sixteen

     The elders buried Dewpaw before dawn. Amberpaw and Blazepaw helped, since Brightheart and Cloudtail were too grief-stricken to aid in the burial of their song, while Hazeltail went off alone with Foxheart to bury their daughter. Foxheart seemed almost dazed as he padded beside his mate, but once again Hazeltail displayed no emotion, only a hard, determined set to her expression. Blazepaw couldn't understand ho any mother could be so hard. But then, he supposed, every cat grieved differently.

     After their Clanmates were laid to rest, Blazepaw returned to the twoleg nest. The sun was just starting to rise, though it could barely be seen through the rain and clouds. His Clanmates had all turned in to sleep after the vigil finished. Every cat was cramped together uncomfortably. No one had bothered to try and find any moss for bedding. Cats had just fallen asleep on the cold stone, too tired to be uncomfortable.

     Blazepaw's legs were sore and wet from helping the elders bury his denmate. He'd licked all the mud from his pelt, but the cold wetness clung to him. He followed the elders and Amberpaw back into the twoleg den, picking his way through his sleeping Clanmates. Snowpaw was asleep beside Brightheart and Cloudtail. The young tom's expression was tight with pain, his paws and tail twitching in his sleep. To Blazepaw's surprise, the newly named Lightpaw and Sparkpaw were there, snuggled close to their new denmate. They must have come to offer comfort to Snowpaw so he could sleep through the night.

     The apprentice was shaking and exhausted as he and Amberpaw curled up beside Snowpaw. Blazepaw closed his eyes, letting the slow breathing of all the other apprentices lull him to sleep.

     When Blazepaw woke again, Lightpaw and Sparkpaw were gone, as were a good number of his Clanmates. Sunlight was streaming into the den. It looked like several hours had passed since Dewpaw and Petalkit's burial. Snowpaw and Amberpaw were still curled up next to their parents in uneasy sleep. Brightheart's paw was laid on her son's shoulder, as though she had clung close to him as she'd drifted off to sleep.

     Blazepaw got to his paws, stretching out his sore limbs. He noticed Cinderheart standing by the den's entrance and started towards her, careful not to disturb his sleeping Clanmates. “Hey,” he called out to her quietly. “Going out?”

     His mother looked up as he approached. “Morning. And yes,” she replied, touching noses briefly with her son. “I was going to take Sparkpaw out to start training him how to hunt. If you wanted to hunt, though, a patrol just left for the twisted hazel. You should be able to catch up if you leave now.”

     “Alright.” The apprentice's stomach growled. A lively morning hunt would be just what he needed to get his mind off Dewpaw's death. Blazepaw gave a final flick of his tail, then headed out into the forest.

     Outside, the sky was finally clear, not a cloud to be seen. The rain was gone, but every surface seemed to be drenched in rain and mud. Even through the muddle, rainy smells, he was quickly able to pick up the patrol's scent. He followed it to the twisted hazel, where the patrol was gathered.

     Blossomfall, Seedlight, Bumblestripe, and Toadstep were gathered around the tree, speaking in low voices. They all looked up as Blazepaw approached them. “Morning,” Bumblestripe greeted. “I thought you might sleep later. You can rest more, if you want.”

     Blazepaw shook his head. “I'd rather hunt,” he told his mentor.

     Bumblestripe flicked at ear. “Suit yourself.” The other cats were shuffling, ready to hunt, but Blossomfall was staring ahead dully. She had been Dewpaw's mentor. Blazepaw couldn't imagine how she must be feeling.

     “Alright, all of our prey was lost when we left the camp behind,” Toadstep announced. “We're going to have to work hard to bring back enough prey to feed everyone. Let's get started.”

     The patrol stayed out the better part of the day. Blazepaw worked in silent concentration. He didn't let himself rest until he had caught a swallow and two mice. As long as he concentrated on the hunt, he didn't have to think about the way Dewpaw's body had cracked when it hit the rocks, or Petalkit's terrified scream as she fell down into the camp.

     Toadstep was leading the patrol back towards the twoleg den when two cats met them on their path. Jayfeather padded out of the bushes, accompanied by Leafpool. Toadstep seemed surprised to see him. “What are you doing away from the twoleg nest?” he asked.

     The blind tom flattened his ears. “What am I, a prisoner?” he snorted. Somehow, his tone seemed to lack its usual bite.

     “All of the supplies were lost with the camp,” Leafpool explained wearily. The tabby had been demoted from her position as medicine cat when the truth had been discovered about her kits, but she still helped Jayfeather often enough that she was more medicine cat than warrior. After this many moons, no cat seemed to mind, or even notice anymore that she brought far more herbs back to camp than fresh-kill.

     Jayfeather nodded. “I'm trying to restock. With two pregnant queens and away from the safety of camp, we need all the herbs we can get.” The tabby's expression grew thoughtful, his gaze almost seeming to sweep over the patrol as he added, “I wouldn't mind another set of paws to help carry things back to camp.”

     “I'll do it,” Blazepaw offered. The longer he could stay away from the grieving cats at the twoleg den, the better. And he'd never had the aversion to herbs and medicine cat duties that his sister seemed to have.

     Toadstep hesitated, then shrugged. “Alright. We'll carry your prey back to camp. Be careful.” He took up Blazepaw's swallow in his jaws, then led the patrol back towards camp.

     Jayfeather waited until they were gone, then turned to the two cats. “Come on. We need to bring back as much as we can find. Let's see if there's any fennel or chervil by the lake's edge.”

     The three cats made their way through the woods, sniffing around for any herbs they could find along the way. All the plants seemed to be drowning from too much water. They managed to find some tansy, but it was withered and useless.

     When they finally reached the new borders of the lake, however, Leafpool and Blazepaw stopped in shock. Jayfeather nearly bumped into them when they halted, but neither noticed. They couldn't tear their gazes away from the lake.

     Jayfeather came to stand beside them, tail lashing in annoyance. “What are you two mousebrains gawking at?” he grumbled.

     Blazepaw couldn't find the words for it. The lake looked _huge_. The wide stretch of water before him was terrifying to look at. The Clans' territories suddenly seemed so small and insignificant in comparison. While he gaped in silence, Leafpool answered Jayfeather's question. “The lake's almost twice as large as it should be,” she replied in a hushed mew. “About half of our territory is gone. WindClan doesn't look so bad, but a good chunk of ShadowClan's territory is underwater. I – I can't even see RiverClan's territory. And all I can see from the Gathering island is a few trees.”

     Jayfeather stiffened. As Leafpool leaned against him in an offer of comfort, he lifted his muzzle and tasted the air, as if trying to scent how far the water stretched. Blazepaw still couldn't look away from the swollen lake. All he could think was, _how will things ever be the same again?_

     “The lake won't be flooded forever.” Jayfeather's snarl snapped Blazepaw out of his thoughts. The small medicine cat still looked shaken, but he had regained his sharp tone. Jayfeather flicked an ear, glaring sightlessly at the apprentice as he told him, “One little flood isn't the end of the world. This lake has survived worse. This forest has been around long before you, it's not going to dry up and die just because one apprentice is yowling and carrying on.”

     Blazepaw flattened his ears. “I wasn't yowling,” he mumbled. “If you don't want to hear me, get out of my head.” He'd lived his whole life knowing about Jayfeather's power, but it still unnerved him whenever the tabby knew exactly what he was thinking. He never understood how Silentpaw had been completely unbothered by it.

     Jayfeather pulled his lips back in a snarl, but before he could retort, Leafpool stepped between her son and her son's kit. The light tabby seemed weary, but there was still strength to her tone as she snapped, “Enough. Bickering about it isn't going to change anything. We came here to find herbs – let's get to it.” Without waiting for a response, she stalked past them, tail twitching as she made her way towards the water. Jayfeather snorted, then followed her with a bristling pelt, Blazepaw trailing after.

     As they made their way down the muddle slope and right up to the water's edge, Blazepaw asked, “So, what exactly are we looking for?”

     Leafpool halted in front of the water. She unsheathed her claws and began tracing a rough shape of a plant in the mud with one claw. She lectured briskly, “Fennel has thin, spiky leaves. Dig it up by the roots - don't break the stalks. Chervil looks a lot like ferns, but it smells sweet. Collect the leaves, or dig up the roots and bite them off the plant. Think you can find something like that?”

     Blazepaw shrugged. “I guess.”

     “Good. Then we'll split up to cover more ground. Blazepaw, would you check behind those ferns past there?” The former medicine cat flicked her tail to indicate where she meant. “Jayfeather and I will take the shore.” Blazepaw gave a short nod, then trotted off, away from the shore.

     As he nosed around, trying to remember the herbs Leafpool had described. All the plants seemed drowned in mud and water. He had no idea how Leafpool and Jayfeather hoped to find any usable herbs in this weather. But then, what did he know about herbs?

     After several minutes, Blazepaw was drenched in mud from crouching and pawing at plants to see what they were, but he'd had no luck in finding anything like what Leafpool had described. He was about to give up when he noticed an unusually large clump of ferns. The apprentice poked his nose at it, expecting to smell nothing but rain. He pulled his muzzle back sharply in surprise at the sweet scent. It had to be chervil.

     The young tom felt a surge of excitement. He'd done it, he'd actually found herbs for his Clan. Blazepaw was no medicine cat, and he had no wish to be, but he'd done something useful. He began carefully nipping leaves off the stems, trying as much as possible not to rip them.

     The apprentice was so intent on his work that he didn't hear Jayfeather approached until the medicine cat spoke behind him. “I see you found chervil.”

     Blazepaw nearly jumped out of his pelt. “Oh. Um, Jayfeather. Yeah, I did.” He glanced at the herbs Jayfeather was carrying. “What did you find?” He tried to hide how his pelt had fluffed up in surprise, before remembering that Jayfeather wouldn't see it anyway.

     “Coltsfoot. Useless, until some cat catches a fever.” Jayfeather dropped the bundle of plants at his paws. “So. Silentpaw's safe in RiverClan. And you're not happy.”

     The apprentice ducked his head, trying to ignore Jayfeather's intense gaze. “I don't want to talk about it,” he mumbled.

     Jayfeather snorted. “Tough. So just say what's on your mind.”

     Blazepaw shook his head. The feelings he'd been keeping inside ever since Bramblestar's announcement were too harsh and angry. He couldn't say them out loud. Silentpaw had always been the confrontational one. She'd never been afraid to say exactly what was on her mind. But Blazepaw had always been quiet. He was too shy to ever be disrespectful, or to blurt out whatever he thought, because he was too cowardly to offend any cat. “You already know,” he pointed out.

     “Just say it out loud,” Jayfeather pressed. “Admit it to yourself. You're angry with her.” 

     Jayfeather's words finally made Blazepaw snap. All the emotions he'd kept inside suddenly burst to the surface. He bristled, glaring at the medicine cat as he spat, “Of course I'm angry. She left us! She had to go run off and be the hero and didn't bother to tell anyone, let alone her _brother_ , her littermate that's always had her back. Bramblestar told her that we needed every cat in camp, but does Silentpaw ever listen? And now we're driven out of our own camp, and Silentpaw isn't here to help, and Dewpaw's _dead_!” His outburst left him trembling in rage. His claws dug deep into the earth – he didn't even realize how badly he was shaking until Jayfeather reached out a paw to steady his shoulder. The apprentice took deep breaths, trying to calm himself. The depths of his own bitterness towards his sister for leaving left him truly surprised.

     The medicine cat didn't even flinch at Blazepaw's yowling. His expression was unchanged, though Blazepaw thought he saw a hint of weariness there. “Good. You got it out of your system. Maybe now you'll stop acting like a buzzing storm cloud whenever any cat mentions your sister.” The medicine cat began to turn away, but paused. “It's okay to be mad at her right now,” the tom mewed gruffly. “And I'm not your father or anything. But you can always talk to me. You know. Whatever you need.” With that, he scooped up his herbs in his jaws and started to pad away, leaving Blazepaw to stare after him in surprise.

     Soon after that, Leafpool declared they had gathered enough herbs for the time being. The sun was setting as they finally started back towards the twoleg den. Blazepaw was tired and covered in mud, but pleased. He'd gathered herbs to help his Clanmates, and somehow, after talking with Jayfeather, he felt lighter.

     As they walked back towards the twoleg den, Blazepaw heard Jayfeather speaking to Leafpool in a low voice. “When we get back to the den, would you mind nosing around the garden? I want to see if we can find any chamomile for Brightheart and Cloudtail. Dewpaw's death will hit them hardest – they're so old, I don't know how they'll take a loss like this.”

     “Of course,” Leafpool replied. “Try mixing in the juice of juniper berries. And give Hazeltail something to keep her strength up – she needs to stay strong enough to look after Finchkit.” The two continued to murmur about herbs and berries, but Blazepaw had stopped listening. The ache in his chest that he'd been trying to ignore all day suddenly returned full-force. It suddenly hit him that he would never hunt with the goofy gray tom again. His good mood evaporated, leaving his tail and ears drooping as he trudged after the older cats.

     Just before they reached the den, Blazepaw heard a dreadful wailing from that direction. The three cats stiffened in shock. But before any of them could react, a white blur hurled itself towards them. “Snowpaw!” Blazepaw mewed in surprise.

     The apprentice stood before them, panting and trembling. “Jayfeather, come quick,” he finally gasped. “Dovewing is having her kits!”

     Jayfeather's reaction was immediate. He broke into a full run, Leafpool pelting right beside them as Snowpaw led them back towards the den. Blazepaw followed along as well as he could. As they neared the den, the wailing grew louder, and more desperate.

     When they burst into the den, the air seemed full of tension and fear. Every cat was watching the birthing anxiously. Dovewing was stretched out on the floor, limbs stiff and tensed in agony, yowling and wailing. Bumblestripe, Ivypool, and Birchfall all hovered anxiously around her. Bumblestripe was crouched beside her head, licking her cheek and murmuring to her. Blazepaw could hardly stand the terrified glaze to his mentor's eyes.

     To the apprentice's surprise, however, they weren't the only cats by Dovewing's side. Brightheart was standing beside the young queen, one paw on her stomach. Blazepaw could see the elder was massaging Dovewing's stomach with an expert paw. When she noticed Jayfeather and Leafpool, she snapped, “Hurry up. This young cat needs help.” The numbness and grief from earlier was gone. Brightheart was as calm and professional as any medicine cat.

     After a brief pause, Jayfeather and Leafpool bounded to the queen's side. As Leafpool began murmuring instructions to the young warrior, Jayfeather glared sightlessly at his Clanmates. “Any cat who hasn't already had kits, out of the den,” he growled. “Dovewing needs room to breathe.”

     With some reluctant muttering, the den began to clear out. Blazepaw, Amberpaw, and Snowpaw headed out of the den together, coming to sit beside a clump of brambles. To be truthful, Blazepaw was glad to be out of that den. The fear-scent and the wailing all in that small space had been too much for him. He might be able to sniff out herbs, but he definitely wasn't fit to be a medicine cat.

     “Do you think she'll be okay?” he asked Snowpaw anxiously. Dovewing was so young to be having kits, and that wailing sounded dreadful. What if something was going wrong? The last thing ThunderClan needed was to lose more cats, especially one of the Three.

     Snowpaw looked shaken, but gave a firm nod. “Of course. She has two medicine cats looking over her, and Brightheart's trained with Leafpool before. With three cats to help her, she should be fine. I hope.”

     As the birthing dragged on, the sun dipped below the horizon, throwing the forest into darkness. The Clan began making nests for the night, as they seemed to realize they would not be allowed back into the den before it was time to sleep.

     The apprentices were bringing back the last haul of moss for their nests when he saw Jayfeather emerge from the den. Bumblestripe bounded towards him immediately. Blazepaw held his breath as the weary medicine cat addressed his mentor. “She's fine,” he told Bumblestripe. “You have two healthy sons.” Bumblestripe's tail bristled in joy. He pushed past Jayfeather, hurrying into the den to greet his new family.

     The young apprentice felt a blaze of curiosity. Ignoring Snowpaw's questioning mew, he stalked carefully towards the twoleg den, crouching low so he wouldn't be seen. Blazepaw came up to one of the crumbling walls of the den. Carefully, he peered inside.

     Dovewing was within, looking exhausted, but happy. Bumblestripe and Ivypool were beside her, while Birchfall looked on proudly. By her side were two tiny kits. Blazepaw could barely make them out from where he watched, but he could see they were both gray, one lighter than the other. They mewed and wriggled by their mother's side.

     Bumblestripe pressed his muzzle to her cheek. “They're wonderful,” he breathed.

     Something sad flashed in Dovewing's eyes. “I wish Whitewing was here,” the new mother mewed quietly. “She'd know exactly what to do.” Dovewing and Ivypool's mother had died a moon after the Dark Battle, in a battle with a fox.

     Birchfall's expression became tinged with grief, but his mew was still warm as he told his daughter, “I wish she was here too. But Ivypool and I are still here, and Whitewing is watching you now from StarClan. You're going to be a great mother, Dovewing, and we'll be beside you every step of the way.”

     When Jayfeather passed dangerously close to Blazepaw's hiding place, muttering something about needing to meet someone in dreams, he decided that it was time to retreat. He made his way back to the other apprentices, who were all laying on their nests. “They're really cute,” he told them, settling in his own nest for the night. “I didn't get a good look, but Dovewing and Bumblestripe looked really happy.

     Amberpaw purred. “Good. The Clan could use more kits.” She seemed more alert than she had after Dewpaw's death. Blazepaw hoped that Dovewing's new kits were enough to draw his friends out of their grief, even a little.

     One by one, the apprentices curled up and drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and it's plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.**
> 
> Sorry for the short description earlier, I had to leave to go somewhere quickly.
> 
> Anyway, more fun with Blazepaw and ThunderClan in the twoleg den. And new kits! I'll show their names and descriptions in two chapters. Sorry for the wait, but I have other story things to address first. ^^
> 
> Next up is Silentpaw.


	19. Chapter Seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silentpaw receives a visit.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Seventeen

     Silentpaw was hunting in ThunderClan territory. The sound of birdsong over her head was soothing and familiar, and the undergrowth and dead leaves crackled under her paws. There wasn't a rain-scent to be found.

     In the bushes ahead of her, something stirred. The scent of prey woke her instinct, sending wild energy to her muscles. She crouched, every muscle tensed. Slowly, inch by inch, she crept forward. In a moment, she would pounce, and that mouse would be hers.

      _Crack!_

     The snap of a branch sent the mouse fleeing. Silentpaw rose back to her full height, bristling with fury. Whatever had made her lose her prey was going to pay for it. “Who's there?” she demanded sharply.

     “Losing your touch, Silentpaw? I thought no cat could ever sneak up on you.”

     All her fury melted away in an instant. “Jayfeather!” She bounded up to the medicine cat, rubbing against him and purring like a kit. “I can't believe you're here!” Only now did Silentpaw realize she was dreaming – she was still helping RiverClan, it was the only way she could be in this forest.

     Jayfeather gave a swift lick to her ear. He was purring so loudly that it sounded like thunder as Silentpaw leaned against him. “Of course. I had to make sure you didn't get lost up a tree or get squashed by a badger, mouse-brain.”

     “Not likely,” Silentpaw retorted immediately, pulling back. “Glad to see you didn't fall down a rabbit hole without me around.” She had only been away from ThunderClan for four days, but falling into the familiar banter with Jayfeather was more comforting that she could ever say. “Now, let me guess. Dovewing found me?”

     Jayfeather nodded. “Two days ago.”

     “And you didn't come to yell at me sooner for being a mousebrain? You're getting slow in your old age,” Silentpaw joked. The medicine cat sobered. Silentpaw was stunned by the sudden droop to his tail, and his silence. “Jayfeather? What is it?”

     After several moments, Jayfeather rasped, “Silentpaw, Dewpaw is dead.” Silentpaw stiffened in shock. “The camp flooded in the rain two nights ago. We escaped, but Dewpaw and Petalkit died. We lost the camp, and all our prey and herbs.”

     Silentpaw felt like something had slammed into her chest. She couldn't breathe. Dewpaw was _dead_? One of her best friends was gone forever, and she hadn't been there. Grief and guilt threatened to overwhelm her. It was several moments before she could manage to speak. “Where is the Clan staying?” she asked dully.

     “The abandoned twoleg den. It's a bit bare, and pretty constricting, but it'll do for now.” Silentpaw tried to imagine her Clanmates closed in by stone walls, in a den reeking of twolegs. It sounded like a nightmare.

     As Silentpaw wrestled with her grief and her tangled thoughts, Jayfeather watched her in silence. She knew that he was hearing every thought that passed through her head, all of that guilt. “Do you see now?” Jayfeather asked softly. “To be a warrior means to put your Clan first, above everything. You disobeyed your leader and put another Clan first, and you weren't there when ThunderClan needed you most. We need you at home, Silentpaw.”

     Silentpaw didn't respond. She dipped her head, deep in thought. It was a long time before she spoke again. “You're right. I left ThunderClan, and they needed me. Maybe if I'd been there, Dewpaw would still be alive. Or maybe not. Either way, my loyalty is to ThunderClan – I should have stayed. But RiverClan needs me too.” Jayfeather remained silent. “I gave them my promise, Jayfeather. I can't go back on it now. Cats have died already. They need help, and I think I can give it to them.”

     Jayfeather snorted. “What help can one extra apprentice be? How can that be more important than helping your kin?”

     “Well, I've been teaching them some hunting skills...”

     The medicine cat stiffened. “You mean you've been teaching ThunderClan hunting secrets to enemy warriors?” he asked sharply.

     Silentpaw flinched, then straightened, holding her head high. “I'm helping these cats to survive,” she mewed clearly. “We may be enemy Clans, but we all live together under StarClan. What use is it to keep our skills of survival secret if it means one Clan is lost. If they use these skills to steal prey later, we'll deal with it later. Right now, my concern is their immediate survival. The lake must have four Clans. I can't just let these cats starve because it _might_ cause trouble later. The Clans must help each other in times of need.”

     Jayfeather stared at her in silence for several moments. Silentpaw could almost always tell what the grumpy tom was thinking, but his silence now was unreadable. She almost wished she had his power, so she could know his thoughts. Finally, he sighed. “You remind me of my sister.” Silentpaw blinked in surprise. “She was just as stubborn as you, always concerned about doing the right thing, or at least following the warrior code.” He touched his nose to her ear. “I think you might be right. If you think you're needed here, then stay. I can't promise your Clanmates will forgive you easily. But if you think it's the right thing to do, I won't stop you.”

     The apprentice let out the breath she'd been holding. “Thank you, Jayfeather.”

     “Of course.” He pulled back. “I have to go. ThunderClan needs me. But I'll check on you again. Take care, Silentpaw.” There was a pause. “And know that, no matter what, I'm always proud of you.”

     Silentpaw's ear flicked in surprise – the stuffy old medicine cat was hardly ever so sentimental. “Getting soft in your old age, Jayfeather?” she joked. But in truth, the tom's words filled her up with pride.

     He just padded away, without a response.

     Silentpaw blinked awake in her RiverClan nest. The forest and Jayfeather were gone, only the faintest traces of his scent left. She was under the rock that jutted out over the apprentice's den, and Eelpaw and Yarrowpaw were still asleep around her. Four times she had woken to this scene, but only now did she truly feel homesick for her den in ThunderClan.

     She got slowly to her paws, stumbling out into the camp. Her mind was in a daze. Now that she had declared her intention to stay, there was nothing to distract from her grief. Dewpaw had been one of her closest friends. And little bossy Petalkit, always demanding a story... she was gone too? And now her Clanmates were driven from their home, just as RiverClan had been. Her mind couldn't absorb it.

     “Silentpaw.” She turned towards the approaching cat, dipping her head in greeting. Reedwhisker paused before her, telling her, “You're on the next patrol. Ready to go?”

     The apprentice shook her head, trying to throw off her heavy thoughts. “Yeah, sorry, I'm ready.” She trotted off to the camp's entrance, joining the patrol gathered there.

**SCENEBREAK**

     Silentpaw spent the majority of the day hunting and training. All of the work helped to keep her mind off what had been lost. But in the quiet moments between, the grief would sit like a heavy weight in her gut.

     As she returned to camp from her last patrol, Eelpaw sped up to pad beside her. “Are you alright?” he asked.

     She didn't turn to face him. “Fine,” she mewed shortly.

     Eelpaw snorted. “Sure you are. You've just been about lively as a rock all day,” he told her bluntly. “And you were mewling in your sleep last night.”

     Her pelt bristled at his tone, but she knew he was just trying to help. Reluctantly, she told him, “Jayfeather walked in my dreams last night.”

     The other apprentice stiffened. Other cats always seemed jumpy whenever Jayfeather's powers were brought up. She supposed she could understand not liking the idea of a cat who could read all their thoughts and spy on their dreams, but it had never bothered her. She could read Jayfeather nearly as well as he could read her, so they were evenly matched. “Really? What did he say?”

     They had reached the camp by this point. The rest of the patrol returned to their dens, but Eelpaw and Silentpaw came to sit beside the moss rock near the apprentice's den. It had become a popular hangout for the apprentices to eat prey and share tongues at the day's end.

     Silentpaw settled beside the rock, replying, “Nothing good.” When Eelpaw just waited in silence, she sighed. “One of my denmates died. Dewpaw.”

     “Dewpaw's dead?” Silentpaw was surprised to hear genuine grief in his tone. The apprentice hung his head. “I didn't know him well, but I met him a few times at Gatherings. He seemed like a nice cat.” His tail tip flicked against her flank. “I'm really sorry, Silentpaw.”

     She forced herself to give a short purr. “Thanks, Eelpaw,” she said. It was nice to think that Eelpaw really cared. She wasn't home, but she still had friends here to support her. “Listen, I'm going to go take some prey to the queens, but I'll back later, alright?” He nodded easily. Silentpaw touched her nose to his ear gratefully, then padded off towards the fresh-kill pile. She plucked a squirrel off the pile, then padded towards the nursery.

     The nursery in the temporary camp was comprised of a scraggly old bush leaning against one of the boulders circling the camp. Warriors had woven thick branches and leaves into the bush, strengthening the walls so that the nursery was secure and warm within. The murmuring of queens and the mewling of kits could always been heard within. Silentpaw had been inside a few times before to deliver, and it always gave her a warm, safe feeling. It reminded her a lot of the ThunderClan nursery, and playing with Blazekit while Cinderheart watched over them.

     As she padded inside with the squirrel in her jaws, Silvershine looked up as the kits squeaked and played around her. Duskfur's nest was empty, and the scent stale – she must be out hunting. “Is that for us?” Silvershine asked. Silentpaw nodded in response.

     “Perfect. Thank you, Silentpaw,” the queen purred. She was one of the few cats who didn't glare at Silentpaw every time she passed. Silentpaw dropped the squirrel in front of Silvershine, while the kits scampered over, sniffing it curiously.

     One of Silvershine's kits looked up at Silentpaw. “Did you catch that all by yourself?” she squeaked. Silentpaw recognized the mew of Swankit.

     Silentpaw purred in amusement. She lowered down to the kit's level and told her, “Yes I did.”

     Swankit puffed herself up proudly. “One day, I'll be the best warrior ever! I'll catch the biggest, juiciest squirrel in the forest.”

     Her littermate, Slushkit, swiped at her ear, mewling, “No you won't, frogbrain. We hunt fish, not squirrels.”

     While Swankit and Slushkit bickered about prey, her attention was caught by another kit crouching to nibble at the squirrel. Lakekit was Duskfur's only kit, as far as Silentpaw knew. He was older than Silvershine's kits, over four moons old, and more mature than his playful denmates. She'd interacted with him a couple times, but he always seemed so quiet.

     Silvershine was tending to her kits, so Silentpaw crouched beside Lakekit. In a joking tone, she asked, “What about you? Will you be a great warrior one day?”

     Lakekit didn't look up at her. “I guess.”

     There was something somber about the kit's tone. Silentpaw paused, trying to gauge his mood by the twitch of his tail and the shuffle of his paws. “Hey, are you alright?” she asked softly.

     “Yeah. Thanks for the squirrel.” He tried to ignore her, but now Silentpaw knew what she was hearing in the kit's tone. Grief. She felt it in her own heart, and she could hear how heavy it was in the young kit's mew.

     Silentpaw remembered what had prompted her to come to RiverClan in the first place – a cat had died in the flood. Since her arrival in the Clan, she had heard whispers of a drowned kit, but she had never known what kit that was. Now she had a good guess.

     “Are you sure?” She lay beside the squirrel, stretching out comfortably on the nursery floor. “I know I'm not your Clanmate, but if you want to talk, I'll listen.” In a softer tone, she added, “I've lost cats too.”

     Lakekit finally looked at her. The kit hesitated, then reluctantly explained, “My brother died in the flood.” There was a dull grief to his tone, as though the kit had wailed and grieved so much that he could no longer feel.

     Silentpaw sighed. “I'm so sorry,” she told him. Her grief for Dewpaw and Petalkit was deep, but she couldn't imagine the pain of losing a littermate. “What was his name?”

     “Rainkit.” A note of fondness entered his voice. “Duskfur named him that because she said the flecks in his fur made it look like raindrops had wet his pelt.” The kit's momentary joy faded, his tone growing somber again. “He was my best friend. We were playing together only five days ago, and now he's gone. What am I going to do?” The kit's tone trembled, cracking with grief. Silentpaw could hear him trembling, his tail quivering against the ground. She longed to comfort him, but she was an enemy apprentice he barely knew. There wasn't much she could say or do that would help him.

     She flicked her tail. “I'm truly sorry for your loss.” Her own grief was like a heavy weight in her chest – she had no idea how to lessen it, or how to help Lakekit do the same. Instead, she stood, telling the kit, “I don't know how much comfort this will be. But I came to RiverClan to make sure no one else would die like Rainkit. He will be honored by StarClan forever, and as long as I'm here, I will do my best to keep RiverClan safe.”

     Lakekit flattened his ears, turning away from Silentpaw. After a few moments, he mewed, “Thank you, Silentpaw.”

     “You're welcome,” she told him. “Now, I have to go, but I'll bring more prey tomorrow. See you then, Lakekit.”

     She started to head for the entrance, but before she could leave, Lakekit scampered after her. “Wait! Um, would you mind showing me some hunting moves sometime?” Silentpaw looked back at him in surprise. The kit glanced down, his paws shufling. “I just, I'd like to learn how to help my Clan. You know. So I can keep cats from dying like Rainkit.”

     Silentpaw felt a rush of sympathy for the kit. She knew that no hunting skills or experience were likely to have saved Rainkit from such a sudden flood. But if training would help Lakekit through his grief, who was she to deny him? “Of course,” she assured him. With a final, friendly flick of her tail, she left the nursery.

     The apprentice grabbed a vole she'd caught off the pile and rejoined Eelpaw by the mossy rock. Somehow, her heart felt lighter after her talk with Lakekit. She and Eelpaw chatted over their meal, joking and laughing like life-long denmates. As much as she missed Dewpaw, and as much as she would grieve him in the days to come, she had friends in RiverClan that she could appreciate in the here and now.

     As usual, when Yarrowpaw returned from his patrols, he just stalked past Silentpaw and Eelpaw and ignored them completely. But Finpaw paused, coming to join them briefly. Silentpaw and Eelpaw turned towards each other, whiskers twitching in surprise – Finpaw never interacted with the ThunderClan apprentice if she could help it.

     Finpaw paused before the apprentices, glancing between the two of them before turning her gaze on Silentpaw. “Nice hunt today,” the she-cat mewed gruffly. “You brought back an impressive haul.”

     Silentpaw stiffened in shock. She rose to her paws, tipping her head as she joked, “Was that an actual compliment? Wow. Did it hurt to say? Did someone have to yank on your whiskers, or is there some kind of special word you have to say?”

     The RiverClan apprentice just snorted. “Look. I don't like you.” Her ears flattened against her head as she sniffed, “You're a nosy nuisance who sticks her whiskers in where they're not welcome.”

     “And you were doing so well with that compliment,” Silentpaw sighed.

     Finpaw ignored her and pressed on. “But I'm not going to ignore the fact that you're actually hunting and working hard to help my Clan. You don't belong here, but as least you're not just sitting on your tail and calling it work. So thanks.” With that, she turned and walked away, joining Yarrowpaw in the den and curling up in her nest.

     Silentpaw turned back to Eelpaw. “Did she just admit that I did something right?” she checked.

     “I think she did,” he replied in equal astonishment. “Wow. My sister isn't easy to please, even with her own Clanmates.” He butted his muzzle against her cheek, giving a friendly purr. “You're moving up in the world!” he joked.

     As Silentpaw surveyed the RiverClan camp, listening to cats chatting or snoring in their dens, she thought maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and it's plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.
> 
> Ack, sorry this one is shorter, though it's less than a hundred words away from my usual minimum, three thousand. It just feels too short, somehow. Ah well.
> 
> Anyway, more fun with Silentpaw in RiverClan. Turns out Silentpaw was the cat Jayfeather wanted to meet in dreams that night. So now she knows about Dewpaw and Petalkit, but has decided to stay and help RiverClan for now. And looks like the cats there are starting to respect her a little more.
> 
> Rainkit is the cat that Dovewing heard RiverClan talking about that died, the death that prompted Silentpaw to go help RiverClan. In case anyone was wondering.
> 
> Next chapter will have something of a time-jump. We'll be back with Blazepaw in ThunderClan, and we'll finally get to see more of Dovewing's new kits.


	20. Chapter Eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Half a moon later.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Eighteen

     “Blazepaw?”

     The ginger tom padded into the nursery, a thrush in his jaws. He dropped it in front of Dovewing, telling her, “Bumblestripe told me to bring you something.”

     Half a moon had passed since ThunderClan's camp had flooded. The twoleg den was nearly unrecognizable from the shabby shelter it had been when they first arrived. Several days of hard work had seen the creation of several dens, woven from branches and brambles. The crumbling walls of the den had been reinforced; now, the only way to get into the den was from the from entrance. It wasn't home, but it felt far safer and more comfortable now.

     Which was especially good news for Dovewing. She was proving to be a loving queen, but as a new mother, she was very protective of her little charges. They were awake now, toddling around the nursery on stubby paws. Skykit was pale gray like his mother, with shorter fur than either of his parents. A dark stripe ran down his back, from his head to the tip of his tail. He seemed quieter than his brother, more subdued as he explored the reaches of his den.

     Ripplekit, on the other hand, was as bright and curious as any young kitten. He was a gray tabby, with thick stripes like his father, and scruffy like Dovewing. The young kit bounded over to Blazepaw, staring up at him with wide blue eyes. “Hi!” he squeaked.

     Blazepaw purred in amusement. He leaned down to touch noses with the kit, then returned his attention to Dovewing. Hazeltail was napping with Finchkit in her nest, and Daisy was eating the bird, but the other queen was missing. “Where's Squirrelflight?” he asked Dovewing.

     The queen sighed. “Where else? Building dens. At least she seems to be listening to Bramblestar for now and hasn't left the camp.” Squirrelflight was mere days away from kitting. Bramblestar and Jayfeather had begged her to stay in her nest and take it easy, but the stubborn queen insisted on continuing to serve her Clan.

     He hesitated, then asked, “And what about Silentpaw?”

     Dovewing's gaze became distant. “She's hunting,” she finally mewed. “There's an apprentice I don't know with her. She's skinny, but seems alright.”

     Blazepaw wasn't sure what to feel about that. He would have asked Dovewing more, but the young mother seemed exhausted from looking after her charges.

     He wasn't the only one to have noticed. Daisy abandoned her meal, coming over to stand before Dovewing. “You look dead on your paws,” the cream she-cat mewed. “Here, let me look after the little ones for a while. You look like you could use some rest.”

     Dovewing hesitated. “You don't have to,” she replied. She had stiffened, her paw pulling little Skykit closer.

     “It's alright, Dovewing,” Daisy assured her firmly. “I've raised plenty of kits, I know how to handle them.” Dovewing held back a moment longer, then nodded in defeat. Almost every cat in ThunderClan had been a kit in the nursery when Daisy was a queen there. She mothered all of the kits, not just her own. Blazepaw had fond memories of the former horseplace cat fussing over him and his sister, and he was sure Dovewing did too. She couldn't doubt the kits would be safe under Daisy's care.

     “Thanks, Daisy,” she mewed, her jaws splitting in a yawn. “I think I'll take a nap. Wake me in a bit?” When Daisy nodded,” Dovewing curled up in her nest, eyes closing.

     Daisy turned to Blazepaw. “You heard her. She's going to sleep, she doesn't need apprentices pestering her. Now shoo!” Her tone was firmer than usual, but there was still a fond gleam in her eyes that softened the blow.

     Blazepaw dipped his head respectfully. “Yes Daisy.” He gave a final flick of his tail and headed out of the den.

     In the upper level of the den, the nursery had been set up in one of the areas closed off by walls, while the medicine and elder's dens were in similar closed-off areas on the same level. There were weird twoleg things inside, long wooden planks covered in soft moss-like stuff, but most of the things were old and falling apart. They had reinforced the walls where they were crumbling, and had secured the entrance to each area so that there was only enough room for one cat to get out. In the center of the floor outside of the dens sat the fresh-kill pile. Blazepaw passed it and headed down the blocks that led to the lower level.

     Warriors were already up and milling about, getting ready for patrols and reinforcing dens. There were three dens down here as well. The warriors and apprentices' dens directly faced the nest's entrance, so they would be the first to spot danger and be able to respond the weaker cats and the prey on the upper level. Bramblestar's den was in the corner right next to the door, so he could be ready to defend the new camp at a moment's notice.

     Blazepaw noticed Squirrelflight standing by the entrance, giving orders to some warriors. As they nodded and headed out of the nest, he approached her. “Is there anything you need me to do, Squirrelflight?” he asked respectfully.

     The ginger queen glanced at him, looking thoughtful. “You know, I've been meaning to send patrols out to check the borders. We've been spending so much time building up our stocks that we've been neglecting them.” She lifted her head, calling out to some of the nearby cats. “Sparkpaw, Cinderheart, Lionblaze, Seedlight.” The cats she had called padded over. Squirrelflight explained to all of them, “I want you to do a sweep of the ShadowClan border. The floods have made travel between Clans dangerous, but not impossible. I want you to make sure our borders are still secure. Cinderheart, you're in charge.”

     Cinderheart dipped her head. “Yes, Squirrelflight,” she replied. She turned to her patrol, gave a quick, “Let's go,” and led them out of the twoleg nest.

     The patrol quickly cut its way through ThunderClan's territory. It hadn't rained at all since Dovewing's kits were born, but the lake was still flooded, and debris from the strong wind and rain was scattered everywhere. Blazepaw didn't know whether the forest would ever look the same again.

     The last few days had been clear and sunny, but now, dark storm clouds loomed overhead. The patrol cats kept casting anxious glances toward the sky, neck fur bristling and tails twitching. Blazepaw flinched when he felt the first pinpricks of rain on his back. A moon ago, rain wouldn't have bothered him at all, but now that it had stolen so much from the Clans, he couldn't help but be jumpy. His anxiety climbed as the soft drizzling built to a steady pounding, and he could tell the rest of the patrol felt the same. It hadn't rained this hard since they had lost their camp. If the rain kept up like this, what more might they lose?

     He was so focused on the rain, he didn't hear Lionblaze come to walk beside his son. He jumped when his father began to speak. “I'm really proud of how much you've been working,” the warrior rumbled. “You've been doing more than your fair share of patrols and hunting lately.” It was clear that the warrior was trying to distract his son from his fear.

     It worked. Pride glowed in Blazepaw's chest, his fear fading in the face of his father's praise. “Just trying to make sure the Clan's being taken care of, especially after the flood.” He felt the familiar twinge of grief at the thought of the night that Dewpaw had died, but the horrible pain of that loss had dulled over time. It cropped up every now and then, but it was getting easier to live each day to the next without thinking of his dead denmate.

     Lionblaze seemed to have guessed what Blazepaw was thinking. He pressed his muzzle to his son's cheek, giving him a comforting lick. “Dewpaw is safe in StarClan now, and I'm sure he's watching over you with as much pride as I am,” his father assured him. The rain was still pounding down, and both cats were now completely soaked through.

     Blazepaw purred softly. “I know,” he told Lionblaze. “It's getting easier.”

     Pain flashed in his father's eyes. Unexpectedly, he asked, “Do you wish your sister were here?”

     “Huh?” Blazepaw blinked in surprise. “Of course I do! I miss her more than anything. But I have to focus on what ThunderClan needs right now.” He ignored the hurt look in his father's eyes. “She's fine where she is, but ThunderClan needs to be fed. There's a lot less prey now that half our territory's underwater.”

     Lionblaze nodded. “True. But I'd bet we're doing better than RiverClan is right now. From what Dovewing saw, they're starving.” Blazepaw remained silent. “Aren't you worried about her?” he pressed.

     Blazepaw looked at his father. Lionblaze was clearly still very worried for his daughter. His father adored both of his kits, it had to be killing him that all his strength and power was useless to save his daughter right now. But he couldn't tell his father what he really felt about Silentpaw right now. Lionblaze wouldn't understand like Jayfeather had. So he just shook the rain out of his pelt, glaring skyward. “It better not keep this up for long,” he commented. “If the lake floods much more, we'll be driven out of our territory entirely.”

     His father gave him a hard look. He clearly wasn't fooled by Blazepaw's attempt to change the subject. Luckily, he didn't press the issue. Instead, he glared ahead, neck fur bristling. “A lot of good the power of the stars does now,” he growled. “I'm the strongest warrior in any Clan, but my Clan is suffering now and there's nothing I can do to help.”

     “You can hunt and provide for them,” Blazepaw pointed out quietly. He understood how helpless his father felt, but it wouldn't help any cat if the Three were too busy moping and feeling useless to serve their Clan. “That'll have to be enough. Even StarClan themselves can't battle a flood. Don't be disappointed that you can't either.”

     Lionblaze looked at his son in surprise. Then he broke out in a purr. “When did my son get so wise?” he teased, flicking his tail against Blazepaw's flank. He grew serious. “You know, you remind me of Hollyleaf.” Blazepaw blinked at the unexpected comment. “She always thought carefully before she did anything. She was always smarter than Jayfeather and I, and knew it too.” He purred fondly.

     Blazepaw didn't know how to respond to that. He'd never met his father's sister; she had died in the Dark Battle, before he was born. He had heard about her in more than one elder's tale. A clever warrior, utterly dedicated to the warrior code, she had broken down when she discovered her very birth shattered the warrior code to pieces and had murdered on of ThunderClan's warriors, Ashfur. Blazepaw didn't know a lot of what had happened, save that Bramblestar had seen it happen and that it hadn't been entirely Hollyleaf's fault. But he knew she had revealed the truth of her parentage at the Gathering soon after, and had fled the Clan to the tunnels, only to come back and die a loyal warrior.

     Hollyleaf seemed to have led a controversial life, but Lionblaze and Jayfeather always spoke highly of her. She had died a warrior's death, defending Ivypool from the Dark Forest cats. He was honored to be compared to her. “Thanks, Lionblaze,” he mewed softly.

     The patrol continued on in silence. It took them a while to reach the ShadowClan border. By the time they got there, it was still raining, and it didn't show any signs of stopping soon. Every cat seemed on edge. No one said it, but they were all thinking it – if the rain continued, there would be more flooding.

     Cinderheart sniffed the ground, looking bleak. “There's almost no scent left,” she told her Clanmates. “The rain's washed most of it away. Even if we remark it now, it's raining too hard for it to stay long.” Then she straightened. “No matter. We'll just have to remark it again in the morning.”

     Seedlight and Sparkpaw remarked the border, making sure the scent was good and strong. The patrol was about to leave when Cinderheart stiffened. “Wait. What's that over there?”

     Blazepaw followed her gaze. Two shapes were stumbling towards the border, leaning heavily against each other. As they came closer, he saw two she-cats. One was a gray warrior he didn't know, but the other was Tawnypelt, sister to Bramblestar and mate to Rowanstar.

     “Tawnypelt! Dewfrost!” Lionblaze yowled out. While Seedlight and Sparkpaw bristled at the strangers, Lionblaze and Cinderheart approached them. “What are you doing out here?”

     Dewfrost snarled at the ThunderClan warriors, but Tawnypelt looked like she barely had the strenght to lift her head. Now that they were closer, Blazepaw could see both cats were covered in deep gashes. His eyes widened. What could have done that to them?

     Tawnypelt rasped, “Please, take us to Bramblestar. We need shelter.”

     Her Clanmate glared at her. “We don't need help from ThunderClan,” she growled warningly.

     “Do you see us making it back to camp in this condition?” Tawnypelt snapped. “If you have any other ideas, please share.” Even wounded and barely conscious, the queen retained her sharp tongue. She turned back to Cinderheart. “Please, we need help.”

     Before the she-cat could answer, Sparkpaw spat, “ShadowClan warriors!” His back was arched, pelt bristling and fangs bared. “We should drive them away!”

     “He's right,” Seedlight growled beside him. “We have no reason to help ShadowClan cats. What if it's an ambush?”

     Cinderheart glared back at the young cats. “Hush,” she snapped, “can't you see she's close to kitting?” Tawnypelt's belly was huge with her unborn kits – she looked as pregnant as Squirrelflight. “We aren't driving away a pregnant queen in need, especially not Bramblestar's sister.”

     Sparkpaw snorted. “His sister from another Clan shouldn't come before his Clan,” he snarled.

     “And she doesn't,” Cinderheart replied evenly. “But she's injured, and she needs our help.” She turned back to Tawnypelt and told her, “We'll help you.”

     Tawnypelt sagged in relief. “Thank you,” she rasped.

     Lionblaze padded closer, offering, “I can support her.”

     Dewfrost hesitated, then nodded. She shifted Tawnypelt's weight to the golden warrior, allowing the pregnant queen to lean her weight entirely against him. Against Blazepaw's father, Tawnypelt suddenly looked terribly small and frail.

     The patrol set back off for ThunderClan territory, Tawnypelt leaning against Lionblaze, Dewfrost limping. As they walked along, Tawnypelt's earlier energy seemed to be gone. She was completely leaning her weight against Blazepaw's father, and her expression was one of complete exhaustion. Blazepaw could see now that her wounds weren't terribly deep, but were bleeding quite a bit.

     Blazepaw slowed to walk beside Dewfrost. The ShadowClan warrior had a spiky, scarred pelt that covered hard muscle. He'd never met such an intimidating cat, but he had to ask. “What exactly happened to you?” he mewed quietly.

     Dewfrost glanced down at him. It took all of his will not to shrink back from her ice-blue glare. Finally, she grunted, “We were taking a walk in the woods when the rain started. We got lost on the way back to camp. There was a ditch, we couldn't see it through the rain, and we fell. There were thorns.”

     Cinderheart looked alarmed. “You fell?” she asked Tawnypelt. “Are the kits alright?”

     “They're fine,” Tawnypelt growled. “They're certainly kicking around enough for me to know.” Even through her growl, Blazepaw could hear the fondness for her unborn kits.

     Dewfrost continued, “We've been wandering ever since. The rain's impossible to see through, and we were too turned around to find our way back to camp.”

     “Well, don't worry,” Lionblaze assured her. “We have herbs at camp.”

     The patrol walked in silence after that. No cat spoke again until they reached the twoleg den. Dewfrost's head snapped back, her ears flat against her head as she glared at the den. “You sleep in a twoleg nest?” she sneered.

     Seedlight glared at her. “Would you rather sleep in the rain?” she growled.

     “It's only temporary,” Cinderheart sighed. “Come on.” She started to lead the cats inside. After a moment's hesitation, Dewfrost reluctantly followed them.

     There was an immediate clamor when the cats entered the nest. Cats crowded around, gazing with curiosity and hostility at the ShadowClan cats. “Back up!” Cinderheart snapped. “Tawnypelt needs space.”

     “Tawnypelt?” Bramblestar padded out of his den, eyes wide when he noticed his sister. He bounded to Tawnypelt's side. She leaned away from Lionblaze, sinking gratefully against her littermate. “What happened?” the ThunderClan leader demanded.

     Lionblaze started to reply, but was cut off by a gruff mew. “Move. Everyone move.” Cats scrambled out of the way, letting Jayfeather reach his new patients. The blind tom sniffed Tawnpelt's fur, pulling back with a snarl. “Go get Leafpool and Brightheart,” he ordered Sparkpaw. The cream-and-white tom still seemed unhappy with the whole situation, but he obeyed without objection.

     Bramblestar hesitated, glancing up at the blocks that led to the upper level. “I don't want to risk taking Tawnypelt up there in this condition,” he mewed.

     “I can make it,” Tawnypelt growled weakly. “I'm not a kit.”

     Her brother glared at her like a troublesome kit. “Nonsense. You can stay in my den for now, I can sleep with the warriors.” As Leafpool and Brightheart approached, he asked the former, “Leafpool, would you mind staying in my den with Tawnypelt and keeping an eye on her condition?”

     The former medicine cat dipped her head. “Yes, Bramblestar,” she told him.

     “What about me?” Dewfrost asked.

     Jayfeather gave her pelt a quick sniff, reaching out and pulling on her injured paw. Dewfrost flinched, but didn't cry out. “It's just a sprain,” he told her curtly. “You'll be fine to sleep in the warrior's den.”

     She bristled. “I'm not letting my Clanmate out of my sight,” she warned them.

     Bramblestar sighed. “Tawnypelt will be fine, Dewfrost,” he assured her. “I would never let my sister come to harm.” Dewfrost hesitated. “Leafpool and Jayfeather will give her the best possible care. She will be safe, I promise.”

     After several moments, Dewfrost dipped her head. “Very well,” she growled. “I'll hold you to that, Bramblestar.” With that, she limped towards the warrior's den. Cinderheart followed her in. Blazepaw could see her through the entrance, helping Dewfrost put together a nest.

     The sight didn't sit very well with Blazepaw. ShadowClan warriors were being welcomed into their camp like Clanmates, and Silentpaw was staying with RiverClan instead of being driven off. The boundaries between Clans were starting to fade, in more ways than one, and he didn't know whether that was necessarily a good thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and it's plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.
> 
> Another short one, sorry. But we're getting to a point I've been wanting to get to for a while.
> 
> So now Tawnypelt and the ShadowClan warrior Dewfrost are in ThunderClan's camp. We'll have to see where that leads. ^^ And also, Dovewing kit cuteness! Skykit will have yellow eyes when he is fully grown, but Ripplekit gets to keep his blue eyes. And yes, Skykit got that stripe from Graystripe. :D
> 
> As for Ripplekit, yes, he is named after Rippletail, the RiverClan cat who died on the journey to stop the beavers. Dovewing was always haunted by that death, since Rippletail was her friend and likely the first cat she had seen die, so she named her son in honor of him. Skykit was named for his pale gray pelt, like a pale, cloudy sky. I'll draw them as adult cats soon.
> 
> Oh and hey, title drop. ^^


	21. Chapter Nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mistystar has something to say to Silentpaw.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Nineteen

     Half a moon had passed since Silentpaw left ThunderClan. The prey was still scarce, and the territory still flooded, but RiverClan was still hanging on. Silentpaw's frame was far skinnier than it should be, and she spent most of her days hungry. But she was also faster, surer, more focused. She spent a good part of the day hunting, and the rest training RiverClan cats how to hunt land prey.

     She was sharing a meal with Eelpaw on the mossy rock in RiverClan's camp. As cats passed her, they no longer glared or muttered. They either ignored her or gave a friendly greeting or flick of the ear. Not every cat was happy she was here, but they all seemed to have accepted it at this point.

     As they laughed over a pigeon, Pondbreeze and Leafdrift approached them. “Hi Silentpaw, Eelpaw,” Pondbreeze greeted cheerfully. Both warriors carried prey. “Mind if we eat with you?”

     Silentpaw cast Eelpaw a questioning look; when he nodded, she mewed, “Sure thing.” Pondbreeze and Leafdrift were RiverClan's youngest warriors, and had been some of the most friendly towards Silentpaw since the start. At the apprentice's nod, they stretched out beside the rock and began to dig in.

     While Pondbreeze chewed on a finch's wing, Leafdrift pulled back and looked dubiously at her vole. “I just can't get used to the taste of this kind of prey,” she admitted. After a moment's hesitation, she returned to eating.

     Silentpaw purred in amusement. “I'm sure I'd feel the same way if you were all feeding me fish,” she pointed out.

     “Hey, food is food,” Pondbreeze purred. “And at least we know how to catch it now. Thanks to you, Silentpaw.”

     She ducked her head. “I just taught a few techniques,” she mewed. “It's not like I'm watching all the prey around here.” Her training sessions were going much better now. The RiverClan cats were making excellent progress. They were much better at stalking, and their hind legs had grown stronger for pouncing and catching. Even little Lakekit, in the few lessons she'd given him on the side, was much stronger in his technique now.

     “Hunting's definitely getting easier now,” Leafdrift agreed. “Still, I'll be glad when we're back to fishing. I'd rather scoop up a trout than pounce on a squirrel any day.” With a glance at Silentpaw, she added, “No offense.”

     Silentpaw purred, “None taken.”

     As the group of friends chatted, pawsteps approached them. The others fell silent. Silentpaw lifted her head in confusion, only to relax in understanding when she caught Mistystar's scent. The leader stood before them and said, “Silentpaw, may I have a word with you?”

     Silentpaw's tail kinked in surprise. “Oh, sure Mistystar.” She gulped down the last scraps of her mouse, then stood and joined Mistystar. The leader led her away, out past the camp entrance. Silentpaw was wildly curious, but she managed to hold her tongue.

     “Hunting seems to be going better now,” Mistystar began. “I can see you've been working hard.”

     Silentpaw's chest glowed warm with pride. “Thank you,” she meowed.

     Mistystar glanced down at the apprentice. She told her, “I'm grateful for all the work you've been putting in for my Clan. You've been truly living up to your promise.”

     They had reached a wide, sandy area, far from camp. Mistystar stopped, turning to face Silentpaw. “Now,” she said briskly, “I believe you said Ivypool and you haven't had any battle training yet?”

     Silentpaw tipped her head curiously. “We haven't,” she confirmed. She was utterly confused now. Where was this all leading?

     “Well then, I'm sure you wouldn't mind a battle session right now?”

     Her heart seemed to skip a beat. Learning how to fight was all she had wanted for moons and moons. And now the leader of RiverClan was to be her instructor. “Do you mean it?” she breathed. “You don't mind teaching RiverClan moves to a ThunderClan cat?”

     Mistystar just purred. “You've been generous enough with ThunderClan's secrets. Now, attack me.”

     Silentpaw blinked. “Just like that?”

     “Yes. I can only correct your technique once I've seen what it is.” Mistystar crouched, tensed and ready for a fight. “Now, attack me. Claws sheathed.”

     The apprentice crouched, sizing up the RiverClan leader. She had a good idea of Mistystar's size and speed from the sound of her pawsteps. She was a decent-sized cat, but not huge by any means, and she was probably fairly fast and strong. Silentpaw wasn't sure whether she would be faster than the leader, but she was going to have to try. She collected her hind legs under her, then sprang.

     Mistystar sprang neatly out of the way. Silentpaw was left to land clumsily in the sand, stumbling forward. “Oof!” She rose to her paws, shaking sand out of her pelt.

     The leader stared at the disoriented apprentice in amusement. “Not bad for a first try,” she said as Silentpaw scraped sand off her claws. “But you're too predictable. The way you gather yourself up, you give away where you're aiming.” She padded over to the apprentice, laying a tail on her back. “Fluff up your pelt, and position your legs like this.” With the leader's tail guiding her, Silentpaw positioned herself accordingly, her pelt fluffed out as far as it went. “Perfect. When your fur is fluffed out, you look larger than you are. In the heat of battle, a cat isn't going to take a second glance to see how large you are. If you look big, they'll think twice about attacking you.” The leader returned to the other side of the sandy area. “An enemy that's intimidated is already half defeated. Now, try again.”

     Silentpaw didn't pause this time. She sprang immediately at Mistystar, trying to throw it off. There was a thud and scuffling, and when Silentpaw landed, the was greeted by four paws that threw her to the side. For such an old cat, Mistystar was still very strong. She was flung across the sandy area and landed hard on her shoulder, skidding across the sand. It scraped and burned against her pelt, causing her to flinch. “How did you do that?” she hissed, struggling back to her paws.

     “It's an old trick my father taught me,” Mistystar replied. “I think he learned it from my mother.” Curiosity itched at the apprentice's pelt. She knew Mistystar's mother had been the leader of ThunderClan. Before she could ask further, however, Mistystar spoke again. “You can't see me,” she lectured as Silentpaw licked at her scraped and sore shoulder. “But you can hear how I'm moving, and you know where I am. Pay close attention to what you're hearing. Try again.”

     This time, Silentpaw listened carefully to all of her surroundings before moving. She could hear where all of Mistystar's paws were, could hear her crouching against the sand. Instead of leaping directly at her, Silentpaw darted forward and to the side, zig-zagging as Mistystar leaped away. Once she was close enough, she dove under Mistystar's belly. She tried to flip over onto her back so she could kick up at Mistystar's soft belly fur, but she mistimed the turn. Before she could correct herself, Mistystar simply dropped her weight on her.

     Silentpaw gasped for breath, struggling to pull loose, but Mistystar was too heavy. “Mousedung!” she spat, wriggling wildly. Mistystar lifted herself off her, allowing Silentpaw to scramble away. Silentpaw faced her, panting. She hadn't felt this frustrated in a long time. How in StarClan's name was she supposed to prove herself to this cat?

     Mistystar purred. “Well done,” she praised. “Good technique. If you'd been a little quicker and strong with that turn, you would have thrown me off balance.”

     “Really?” Silentpaw felt a surge of new confidence.

     “Really. Now, let me show you how to do that move properly.”

     Mistystar and Silentpaw worked until sunset, practicing various RiverClan fighting techniques and strengthening Silentpaw's strikes. The leader made no attempt to address how to fight through Silentpaw's blindness – she knew that would be Ivypool and Jayfeather's job, once she returned to ThunderClan. This session was purely about technique and various moves. By the end of the session, Silentpaw was exhausted, but thrilled. Her first battle lesson, and she'd managed to learn some cool new moves, and impress the leader of RiverClan.

     “That's enough for today,” Mistystar announced. Silentpaw resisted the urge to groan in complaint. The leader had been more than generous with her time. “Let's do a quick sweep of the border while we're here, then we'll head back to camp.”

     Silentpaw lifted her muzzle, tasting the air. Scents of moorland and rabbits greeted her, to her surprise – she hadn't realized they were so close to WindClan's border. Now that the lake had flooded so far, both WindClan and RiverClan had extended their borders up past the horseplace.

     Mistystar and Silentpaw padded along the border, checking for scents of WindClan cats and remarking the border. Before they could leave it behind, however, a breeze blew the scent of an approaching cat towards them.

     “Get down!” Mistystar hissed, crouching down behind a clump of grass and pulling Silentpaw down beside her.

     They waited as the WindClan warrior neared. As the cat approached, however, Silentpaw finally recognized the scent. “Darkbreeze!” she cried out cheerfully, abandoning the RiverClan warrior to bound towards her friend.

     Darkbreeze noticed her. “Silentpaw!” The two she-cats met right by the border, touching noses in greeting. “Great to see you again! I see you made it to RiverClan in one piece.” Her purr was tinged by amusement.

     Silentpaw puffed out her chest proudly. “Yep! I've been with them for half a moon now.”

     “Half a moon?” Darkbreeze shook her head. “I could never spend that long away from home.”

      _Speaking of away from home..._ “Have you found Nightfern yet?”

     Darkbreeze deflated. Her ears drooped, and her mew was sharp with sadness. “Not yet,” she admitted. “I'm starting to fear I'll never find her. That's she's... you know.”

     Silentpaw felt a rush of sympathy for her friend. She reached out and gave her ear a friendly lick, trying to comfort her. “I'm really sorry,” she said somberly. “I still hope you find her.”

     The WindClan warrior accepted the comfort for a few moments, then pulled back, shaking her head. “Anyway, enough about me,” she mewed in a deliberately cheerful tone. “What about you? Wow, you look really thin!” Darkbreeze sniffed at Silentpaw's pelt, which clung far too close to her frame. “Haven't those RiverClan cats been feeding you properly?”

     “I'm fine, Darkbreeze,” Silentpaw assured her. “Hunting's hard, but it's getting better.” As much as she trusted her kin, she figured Mistystar wouldn't appreciate it if she gave away too much of RiverClan's weakness to a WindClan cat.

     “With your help,” Darkbreeze pointed out with a purr. “I guess you're not totally rabbit-brained trying to help them after all. But what are you doing out here on your own?”

     There was a nearby shifting of grass. “She's not alone.” Mistystar came to stand beside Silentpaw, looming over the smaller WindClan warrior. Her tone was stiff, and her pelt was bristling. Clearly, the RiverClan warrior didn't trust this too-friendly enemy cat.

     To her credit, Darkbreeze only shrank back a little from the intimidating she-cat. “Mistystar! It's an honor.” She dipped her head respectfully to RiverClan's leader.

     Mistystar stood utterly still before Darkbreeze. Once again, Silentpaw found her stillness utterly impossible to read. “Greetings,” she mewed coolly. “I must ask, what is a WindClan cat doing so far out here on her own?”

     Darkbreeze hesitated, glancing at Silentpaw. When the apprentice nodded encouragingly, the warrior admitted, “My sister's been missing since the flood began. Ashstar's stopped sending out search patrols, but I have to keep looking. I check all the borders whenever I'm out, to see if there's any trace of her.”

     The leader softened. “You still have hope of finding her after all this time?” she asked in a less hard tone.

     “I have to,” Darkbreeze told her. “I can't give up on her. She wouldn't give up on me.”

     Mistystar sighed. She suddenly sounded much, much older. Silentpaw had almost forgotten that Mistystar was older than any of the elders in ThunderClan. “I understand,” she said softly. “I hope you find her, young warrior. It isn't easy to lose a littermate.” Silentpaw was surprised by her words; she hadn't known Mistystar had siblings.

     Darkbreeze seemed surprised too, but she hid it well, dipping her head respectfully to Mistystar. “Thank you.” She lifted her head. “I should probably go. I wanted to catch a rabbit or two to bring back to camp, and it's getting late. It was nice to see you again, Silentpaw.” With a friendly wave of her tail, the WindClan cat bounded away, leaving the ThunderClan apprentice with the RiverClan leader.

     They watched the warrior leave for a few moments, then turned and started back towards their own camp. As they walked, Mistystar regarded Silentpaw curiously. “You seem to know that cat pretty well,” she said carefully.

     Silentpaw nodded. “I met her at the Gathering, and she helped me find your territory when I came to help you. She's my kin, you know.”

     Understanding dawned in the leader's tone. “Ah, Breezepelt's daughter. That explains a lot. I can't imagine your Clanmates are too pleased that you're so friendly with a cat from another Clan.”

     “It's not like we're mates having kits with divided loyalties,” Silentpaw pointed out. “We're just friends. As long as I put my Clan first in battle, I don't see the problem with having a good friend in WindClan. Darkbreeze is really cool, and we get along well.”

     Mistystar stared at the apprentice, tail twitching with bemusement. “You don't think much of Clan boundaries, do you?” she finally asked.

     Silentpaw shrugged. “I just don't think Clans should be any more divided then they have to be, I guess,” she said. “I mean, we all have the same ancestors, don't we? We fight sometimes, but we shouldn't unsheathe our claws for every little thing. Maybe it's time for our boundaries to fade a little.”

     “Some cats would call that kind of talk treason,” Mistystar warned her.

     She snorted. “Tough. That's how I see things and I'm sticking to it.”

     Mistystar let out a rusty _mrowrr_ of laughter. “I must say, Ivypool must have her paws full trying to reign you in.” Silentpaw flattened her ears, but Mistystar just bumped her leg with one paw in a friendly manner. “But sometimes a fresh perspective is what we older cats need.”

     Pride blazed through the young apprentice. Mistystar's praise, and her success in the earlier session, had Silentpaw surging with energy. On their way back to camp, she bounced and bounded beside Mistystar like an excitable kit. Mistystar seemed amused by the apprentice's energetic state. At the least, she didn't tell her to stop acting like a kit.

     It took several minutes for Silentpaw to remember Mistystar's earlier statement. She spoke carefully, trying not to anger the leader. “Back there with Darkbreeze, you spoke about losing a littermate like it was something you knew.” It was more statement than question.

     Mistystar stiffened. Silence stretched on, long enough to make Silentpaw want to ask again, but she held her tongue. Finally, Mistystar rasped, “I had a brother. Stonefur. He was Leopardstar's deputy before me.”

     Silentpaw could hear the grief in her voice, as raw as if Stonefur had died the day before. “What happened to him?” she asked softly.

     “Tigerstar.” The name was spat out like venom. “When he rose to power and took over RiverClan, he waged a war against all halfClan cats. My brother and I, and Graystripe's kits were thrown in a foxhole and fed scraps of crowfood. Tigerstar ordered my brother to kill Featherpaw and Stormpaw, but he refused. So Tigerstar ordered Blackstar and Darkstripe to kill him.”

     The apprentice listened with eyes huge with horror. She couldn't believe any cat could be that cruel. She had known Tigerstar had murdered many cats, and that he had wreaked havoc on RiverClan, but she hadn't known about this. Then, something occurred to her. “Wait, you said Blackstar?” The leader of ShadowClan, who had died less than a moon before Silentpaw's birth. “ _He_ killed your brother?”

     Mistystar nodded grimly. “He was Tigerstar's deputy. And in TigerClan, his word was law.”

     “But he murdered your brother,” Silentpaw repeated incredulously. “How could you let him be ShadowClan's leader for so long?”

     The leader growled in warning, making Silentpaw fall instantly silent. “Oh, I never forgave him,” she said in a low growl. “That's not something you can just put in the past. But Blackstar worked very hard to restore ShadowClan to a Clan of honor, not the sharpened claws of a tyrant. It wasn't easy to see his face at every Gathering, but if he was going to put an honest effort into redeeming ShadowClan and himself, I had to let him try. It's for StarClan to judge him now.” Her anger melted, and she sighed. “But I still miss Stonefur every day.”

     Silentpaw just listened in horror. She couldn't imagine having to face her littermate's murderer every Gathering without burying her claws in his face. Mistystar was even more noble and forgiving that Silentpaw could have imagined.

     Thinking of littermates led to thoughts of Blazepaw. Silentpaw hung her head, admitting, “I left without telling my brother where I was going. He must have been so worried and scared.” Guilt seared through her pelt. “I shouldn't have done that to him, or my parents.”

     “They must know where you are by now,” Mistystar reasoned. “It's not like Dovewing would have lost sight of you for long.”

     Silentpaw didn't reply. She didn't quite feel like telling Mistystar about her dream with Jayfeather, and Dewpaw's death. Instead, she said, “I just hope they won't be too angry when I return.”

     Mistystar snorted. “Of course they'll be angry,” she told Silentpaw bluntly. “Family is always angry when they're worried. It's because they care about you, Silentpaw, and they don't want anything to happen to you.” She paused. “Do you want to go back home now?”

     She considered it for a few moments, then shook her head. “I still have work to do here,” she said firmly. “And travel isn't totally safe with the lake the way it is. Once the flood starts dying down, I'll return to ThunderClan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and it's plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.
> 
> Well this one didn't take wrong to write. XD
> 
> Anyway, more Silentpaw in RiverClan shenanigans. And look, Mistystar decided to give Silentpaw some training! I deliberately tried to make this mirror the Firepaw and Bluestar training session in Into the Wild.
> 
> Also, a wild Darkbreeze appears! I'm really starting to adore this character.
> 
> More to come with Blazepaw and ThunderClan.


	22. Chapter Twenty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More kits are on the way.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Twenty

     As Blazepaw headed out to hunt for the day, Bumblestripe stopped him. “Going out?” he asked.

     Blazepaw paused. “Oh, yeah.” He'd gotten so used to his mentor being busy fussing over his kits and the haphazard patrols that he'd chosen to go out hunting without consulting Bumblestripe. “Did you want to train instead?”

     The fluffy tabby shook his head. “I'm on the next patrol. Dovewing insisted I get away from camp for a bit. I think I might be hovering too much.” The warrior was spending nearly all his time in the nursery these days, and when he wasn't there, he was getting prey for Dovewing, or finding some new, soft thing for her bedding. He probably was being a little overbearing, but no cat could deny how much he adored his mate and those kits.

     “Don't worry,” Blazepaw assured his mentor, tail curling at the tip, “I'm sure you're doing fine.”

     Bumblestripe purred. “Thanks, Blazepaw. Anyway, if you're going hunting, would you mind bringing something back for Dewfrost? Her paw's getting better, but Jayfeather said she's not allowed to hunt yet.”

     Blazepaw dipped his head. “Yes Bumblestripe.” Two days had passed since the Clan had taken in the ShadowClan cats. Dewfrost was still prickly, but she didn't act like she was going to rip every cat's ears off anymore. Not every ThunderClan was entirely thrilled she was being fed and treated like a guest. Sparkpaw completely ignored the she-cat, and Spiderleg hissed whenever he passed her. Blazepaw wasn't entirely sure about just letting an enemy warrior into their camp, but he hated how rude some of his Clanmates were to her.

     He glanced over to Bramblestar's den. He could see her through the entrance, chatting with Tawnypelt. The tortoiseshell was listening, but she looked utterly exhausted. Her eyes were closed, and her nose was running. She gave a slow nod, but didn't respond to whatever Dewfrost was mewing to her.

     Tawnypelt's scrapes and bruises had healed fine, but being out in the soaking rain and cold had caused the queen to fall ill. Jayfeather and Leafpool were treating her, but Blazepaw could tell they were really worried about With how close she was to birthing, he hoped that she wouldn't be too weak to bring her kits to the world.

**SCENEBREAK**

     “Nice catch!”

     Snowpaw looked up from his robin as Blazepaw padded towards him. “Thanks,” he purred. “You think this'll be enough to feed Tawnypelt? I promised Bramblestar I'd find her something.” The snow-white apprentice was doing a lot better since his brother's death. He was still grieving, but he was moving forward with his life, enjoying his time with his kin and playing and hunting with Blazepaw.

     “Definitely,” Blazepaw assured him. “But before we go back, I need to catch something for Dewfrost.”

     “Sure.” Snowpaw glanced in the direction of ShadowClan's territory. “Any clue when they'll be heading back to their Clan?”

     Blazepaw shook his head. “I was on the border patrol this morning,” he told his friend. “The rain from the other day made the stream along their border flood even more. It's too dangerous to cross into ShadowClan's territory right now.”

     Snowpaw sighed. “I guess we'll be feeding them for a while, then.”

     “Hey, cheer up,” Blazepaw mewed, “Dewfrost's paw will be fine soon, then she can hunt for herself. And Tawnypelt needs to eat a lot, she's expecting kits after all.” He didn't voice his other worrys about Tawnypelt and her health.

     The white tom got to his paws, shaking out his pelt. “You're right,” he agreed. “Come on, we can get more hunting done before we have to be back.”

     The young friends stayed out for a while, bringing down two squirrels and a finch before they had to return to camp. Their spirits were high as they proudly toted their catch back home.

     A dreadful wailing greeted them as they neared the outer walls of the nest. Blazepaw stiffened. “That sounds like Tawnypelt!” They bounded inside, dropping their prey just inside the door as they hurried to see what was happening.

     Cats were crowded around Bramblestar's den. Blazepaw and Snowpaw pushed through the crowd, trying to see what was going on, joining Amberpaw when they found her. He could see Tawnypelt past the gathered cats. She was lying on the ground, yowling and wailing in absolute agony. Dewfrost, Bramblestar, and Squirrelflight were gathered around her, whispering to her in soothing voices. Jayfeather and Leafpool were there too, stroking her belly. “You'll be alright, Tawnypelt,” Leafpool soothed the screeching queen. “You just have to be strong.”

     Blazepaw gasped. “She's having her kits!” Tawnypelt's yowling reminded him of Dovewing's kitting. But this sounded even worse.

     “Come on, Tawnypelt, you can do it,” Dewfrost told the queen desperately. She glared at Jayfeather, spitting, “What are you doing? Help her!”

     “We're doing everything we can!” Jayfeather snapped. “Tawnypelt, concentrate. You have to stay with me.” He looked up, glaring at the crowd as though he could see them. “Blazepaw, Amberpaw, get in here.”

     Surprised, Blazepaw and Amberpaw pushed past the crowd and made their way into the den. Jayfeather addressed them tersely. “When the kits come, I need you to lick them dry. Lick their fur the wrong way so they'll be warm.”

     Blazepaw tried not to look too afraid. “Why us?”

     Jayfeather snapped, “All these cats are going to be too focused on Tawnypelt to be any use, and Leafpool and I need to make sure Tawnypelt doesn't bleed out.” He turned his attention back to the wailing she-cat. He placed a paw on her belly. “The first one's coming, Tawnypelt.”

     Blazepaw looked away. The whole scene felt uncomfortable; Jayfeather's order and his own desire to help were the only things that kept him from fleeing the den in terror. Finally, the first kit arrived, and Jayfeather pushed it towards Blazepaw. “Lick,” he ordered curtly, before turning back to Tawnypelt.

     The kit in front of him was a dark brown tabby tom-kit, almost identical to Bramblestar in color. The only difference were his thick, night-black stripes. Blazepaw hesitated, then leaned down and began licking the kit. He licked the fur the wrong way, as Jayfeather had instructed. The little thing wriggled and squealed under him, but he ignored it and kept licking.

     As the kitting dragged on, Tawypelt's wailing turned into high shrieks of agony and terror. Blazepaw only looked up once briefly. There was so much blood, far too much blood. He couldn't imagine a cat bleeding that much and surviving. “Keep going, Tawnypelt!” Squirrelflight mewed, giving Tawnypelt a lick to the cheek. “You're one of the toughest warriors I know. If you can beat a rat bite, this should be easy.” She kept her tone light, but Blazepaw could hear the terror lying underneath. Bramblestar wasn't the only cat in ThunderClan with ties to Tawnypelt.

     Finally, another kit was born. “That's the last one,” Jayfeather announced. It was a tiny, pale ginger she-kit, wailing and mewling. Amberpaw took the kit, covering it with swift, confident licks. Now that his kit seemed fairly clean and warm, Blazepaw felt safe enough to look up.

     Tawnypelt wasn't wailing anymore. Her head lay on the dusty floor of the den. She looked too exhausted to go on. Blazepaw was chilled by how still she looked.

     Bramblestar looked absolutely panicked. “Tawnypelt?” he urged, nudging her with his nose. “Tawnypelt, please, stay with me. You can't leave your kits. And Rowanstar, he's waiting in ShadowClan for you. Think how happy he'll be when you sees you and your kits, and how healthy they all are.” She didn't respond. Every breath out of her looked painful, and shallow.

     “Remember the quest to the sun-drown place,” Squirrelflight added. “Remember how brave you were. You saved the Clans. Tawnypelt, you can't give up now. You have to fight!” The leader and deputy looked absolutely terrified as they looked upon their dying friend.

     “Fight, Tawnypelt!” Dewfrost yowled. She was staring at her Clanmate with wide eyes, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

     Leafpool and Jayfeather had backed away from Tawnypelt, hanging their heads. “She's bled too much,” the she-cat murmured. “There's nothing we can do for her now.” Jayfeather said nothing, only digging his claws into the wooden floor and glaring at nothing.

     With the last of her energy, Tawnypelt lifted her head. She murmured something to the cats gathered around her. Blazepaw strained his ears, but he couldn't hear her words. Only a few moments later, Tawnypelt's head flopped back to the ground. Her breathing slowed, until her sides stilled entirely, her eyes closing. Tawnypelt was dead.

     Blazepaw stared at the tortoiseshell queen in utter shock. It had all happened so quickly. This was one of the legendary questing cats, one of the four chosen to speak to the badger Midnight. And now she was dead? He couldn't understand it.

     Squirrelflight and Bramblestar stared at Tawnypelt's body in utter shock. “Tawnypelt?” Bramblestar asked in a very small mew, almost like a lost kit. Dewfrost wailed in grief, laying her head on her Clanmate's back. Blazepaw couldn't look away, until his kit let out a shriek that snapped him out of his trance. He began licking it again, the repetitive action numbing his thoughts and distracting him from the horror that he'd just seen.

     There was a very long silence, broken only by Dewfrost's wailing and the cries of the kits. Finally, she fell silent, too tired to go on. Even the cats gathered outside didn't speak. They all knew how much Bramblestar cared about his sister, and how hard this had to be for him.

     Amberpaw was the first to speak. “Bramblestar,” she said quietly, “I'm so sorry. But someone needs to feed these kits.” Her kit was already wailing with hunger, and Blazepaw's kit was wriggling furiously.

     Bramblestar stared blearily at Amberpaw. For a moment, Blazepaw was afraid that he was too deep in grief to reply. But after a while, he shook his head, as though trying to shake off his grief. “Right. You're right.” He glanced at Jayfeather. “You think Dovewing would be willing to suckle them?”

     Jayfeather shook his head. “I'm sure she'd be willing. But she's a new mother, and she's got her paws full enough with two kits as it is.”

     “I'll do it.”

     Everyone turned to look at Squirrelflight. The deputy's eyes were glazed over in grief, but she stood firm before the other cats. “My kits will be here soon. I have milk to spare. I can care for Tawnypelt's kits.”

     After a moment's hesitation, Bramblestar nodded. He still seemed completely stunned by his sister's death. Squirrelflight stretched out on the stone floor. When Bramblestar nodded at them, Blazepaw and Amberpaw gently picked up the kits and laid them by Squirrelflight's side. At first, the kits scooted around blindly, wailing for milk. But when Squirrelflight guided them gently with her muzzle, they found her belly. The kits fell silent as they began to suckle. Squirrelflight still seemed dulled by grief, but a fond purr rumbled in her throat as she looked down at the kits suckling at her belly.

     Dewfrost finally spoke. “Someone has to tell Rowanstar.” She struggled to her paws, looking weak around the legs. “I have to go home,” she murmured, looking half-awake. “Back to ShadowClan. I have to take the kits. Tell Rowanstar she's dead.”

     She took a step towards the kits, but Bramblestar blocked her. “You're not going anywhere,” he said in a half-hearted growl. “The stream by the border is too flooded to cross safely.”

     Dewfrost's tail lashed. “Those kits belong in ShadowClan,” she snarled.

     “If you want to go out and drown yourself, be my guest,” Bramblestar said bluntly. “But I'm not letting you put my sister's kits in danger. They're staying here until the water goes down.” The energy seemed to drain out of him. Bramblestar stumbled over to Tawnypelt's body, then laid down and curled around her, closing his eyes.

     Amberpaw scooted closed to Blazepaw, hissing in his ear, “We should go.” Blazepaw mewed in agreement. The cats who had loved Tawnypelt needed to be left alone with their grief. He turned and followed his denmate out of the den, Jayfeather and Leafpool soon following.

**SCENEBREAK**

     They held a vigil that night. Even the cats who hadn't been happy the ShadowClan cats were here seemed shocked by the death. Bramblestar and Squirrelflight stayed right by Tawnypelt's side, as did Dewfrost. The kits were being suckled by Dovewing while Squirrelflight grieved for her old friend. Blazepaw was surprised to see how subdued the Clan was. Not everyone in ThunderClan had been close with Tawnypelt, but she had been one of them once. No cat could deny that she was a brave, worthy warrior, worth mourning.

     Vigils usually passed in silence. But as the cats began to crouch, ready to begin, Bramblestar spoke. “My sister left ThunderClan because she didn't want to spend every day proving she wasn't just Tigerstar's daughter. She decided she'd rather prove herself on her own terms, in a new Clan.” He took a deep, shuddering breath. “I missed her, of course. But it was her choice, her life. All I wanted was her to be the best warrior for her new Clan that she could be. We went on the sun-drown quest together, we brought the Clans to their new home together. Even when ShadowClan and ThunderClan were the bitterest enemies, I always knew I had Tawnypelt to turn to. She was my sister, and my best friend. I don't know what I'm going to do now that she's gone.” The leader fell silent, too overcome by emotion to go on.

     Squirrelflight tail a comforting tail on his back, then continued where he had left off. “I was on that quest too. I was the annoying apprentice who bullied her way into a journey that she hadn't been invited to. But even as much as we bickered and quarreled, I always knew they would fight beside me to the death. Tawnypelt was a great friend, and one of the bravest warriors I ever knew.” Her eyes gleamed with terrible grief as she rasped, “We all returned to our own Clans. But the bonds between those who went on the quest would never be broken. I still remember the grief of Feathertail's death. I had hoped it would be many more moons before I had to say goodbye to another friend from that quest.”

     “My mentor, Pinenose, went to the nursery before I completed my training,” Dewfrost said in a tone dull with grief. “Tawnypelt was already training Specklepaw, but she took me on as well. She may have been born in ThunderClan, but she was a ShadowClan cat through and through. Brave, utterly loyal, patient... she was my mentor, and my friend. I will miss her more than I can say.” She met Bramblestar's gaze as she added, “And it means more than I can say that ThunderClan mourns her beside me.” Bramblestar seemed surprised by her declaration, but he gave her a tiny nod in response.

     The leader lifted his muzzle towards the sky, addressing his warrior ancestors as well as the body of his sister. “Farewell, Tawnypelt,” he said strongly as he spoke the words passed down season after season, the words that would send his sister to Silverpelt. “May StarClan light your path as you walk the skies to join them. May you find good hunting, swift running, and shelter where you sleep.” He sighed. “And may we meet again in StarClan.” The ceremony finished, he crouched beside his sister's body.

     Blazepaw sat beside Amberpaw and Snowpaw, still trying to process the horrible death. As he settled in for the vigil, he noticed Snowpaw's expression was sharp with grief. “Are you alright?” he mewed in surprise. Tawnypelt's death had been horrible to witness, but he hadn't thought his friend had been particularly close to the ShadowClan queen.

     Snowpaw shook his head. “Yeah. It's just... I can understand what Bramblestar's going through. You know. Because of Dewpaw.” Amberpaw said nothing, but leaned against her brother's shoulder, closing her eyes.

     “Oh.” Blazepaw fell silent. His grief for the gray apprentice seemed to return full-force in that moment. He couldn't understand what it was like to lose a littermate. He prayed to StarClan he never did. But in that moment, all his anger and bitterness for his sister melted. In the face of all this grief, he missed his sister more than anything. _Silentpaw, please come home soon,_ he thought wretchedly. _If this is what it's like to lose you, I can't be mad at you anymore. I just want you to come home._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and it's plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.
> 
> Yeaaaaah. Sorry about that.
> 
> Well, two in one day. XD It's a really short one, but it's still two in one day.
> 
> I should say, I only have 26 chapters planned for this book. I only have six chapters left, then it's onto the next book in the Echoes of the War series. What is that new book? I'll reveal the new cover and title and blurb when I finish the last chapter of this. ^^ It shouldn't take too much longer to finish this.
> 
> Also sorry to say, we won't get to find out the name of Tawnypelt's kits for a little bit, not a good three or four chapters. You'll just have to be patient.
> 
> Back to Silentpaw and RiverClan next chapter.


	23. Chapter Twenty One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silentpaw has a day out with the aprentices.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Twenty One

     “Nice pounce, Finpaw!”

     The apprentice rose to her paws, shaking out her pelt. “Thanks,” she mewed gruffly.

     Silentpaw padded towards her, tail held high. “Great balance, and nice flow on the leap. Just try to keep your tail a little lower when you're stalking.” She laid a paw on Finpaw's tail to demonstrate, lowering it to the ground.

     Finpaw, Silentpaw, and Eelpaw were out training. She had extended an invitation to Yarrowpaw as well, but he had less-than-politely refused. Honestly, she was surprised Finpaw had expected. While she was acting more polite towards Silentpaw now, she still wasn't the ThunderClan apprentice's biggest fan.

     Eelpaw stretched out his front legs, jaws parting in a wide yawn. “Nice day for hunting,” he  commented. “You think maybe we've trained enough for the day? We could get some hunting done before we head back to camp.”

     Silentpaw hesitated, then nodded. “Works for me.” Finpaw and Eelpaw had probably made the most progress of the RiverClan cats – they were young and strong enough to learn quickly. They'd been working very hard without any challenges to Silentpaw as an instructor, which she really appreciated. “Want to start by the juniper bush?”

     “Sure.” The three apprentices set off, spirits high as they began their hunt. It had been nearly three quarters of a moon since she'd come to help RiverClan. In that time, the floodwaters had started to die down, and the prey was becoming more plentiful. The patrols who assessed the lake's edges were confident they'd be able to move back into their camp before the moon was up. Things were really looking up for RiverClan.

     After Finpaw brought down a particularly meaty thrush, Silentpaw flopped down onto her back, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her pelt. “We haven't had a really warm day in ages,” she purred. “It's nice to feel the sun again.” She stretched out, her belly fur all exposed, her front paws tucked up comfortably.

     Finpaw ignored her, but Eelpaw strode up to her and poked her in the side with one paw. “You look like a kittypet lazing in the sun,” he mewed gruffly.

     Silentpaw turned her head towards him, purring in amusement. “Oh, like RiverClan cats never lie out in the sun sometimes,” she joked. “Wasn't that bit of territory from the old forest that RiverClan always fought us over called Sunningrocks? I'm thinking it was called that for a reason.”

     That got an amused snort from Eelpaw. “It was probably ThunderClan's idea,” he joked.

     “Ha, don't try to pass it off on my Clan,” she said in a mock snarl. “RiverClan was the first to own Sunningrocks, they had to be the ones to name it.”

     “Then why was ThunderClan always trying to steal it?” Eelpaw growled, ears flattening against the back of his head.

     Silentpaw reacted accordingly, twisting from her back onto her front paws, crouching and snarling playfully. “Maybe it's because we didn't think smelly fishfaces should have more hunting grounds to grow fat off of,” she teased.

     “And maybe we didn't want mangy squirrel-chasers taking what was rightfully ours,” Eelpaw hissed, crouching low and lashing his tail. With a growl, Silentpaw leaped at Eelpaw as he reared up to meet her, the apprentices twisting and kicking and snarling in play. Eelpaw was larger and had more battle training, but Silentpaw kept slipping away from his grasp. She puffed up her pelt like Mistystar had told her to, trying to appear as large as possible. After they pulled back, Eelpaw struck at her with a soft paw, but she ducked and nipped at his shoulder. He tackled her to the ground, the young cats tumbling and struggling until they broke apart, _mrowwring_ and purring in laughter as they tried to catch their breath.

     “Ahem.” Silentpaw and Eelpaw both turned towards the sound. Finpaw stood behind them, tail twitching. “If you two are quite finished, I thought we were out here to hunt.” Her tone was cool, and her stiff posture told Silentpaw that she wasn't amused.

     Silentpaw rolled her eyes, twisting off her back onto her paws. “Lighten up, stiffwhiskers,” she teased as she rose to her paws. “We can take a break every once in a while.”

     “You're an apprentice, not a kit,” Finpaw sniffed. “Maybe you should act like it.”

     Across from Silentpaw, Eelpaw gave a _huff_ of laughter. “No need to act so high and mighty, Finpaw. Or do you want me to tell Silentpaw about the time you got your tail stuck in a root in the lake?” Finpaw stiffened, then turned away, tail lashing. Once she had padded away, Eelpaw turned to Silentpaw. “Sorry about her,” he apologized. “She just isn't very trusting.”

     “I gathered,” Silentpaw mewed dryly. “Still, I've been here almost a moon. Hasn't she figured out I'm not here to spy or steal prey yet?”

     He shrugged. “It's not just that. She thinks the Clans should each mind their own business. She's really not that bad, you know,” he added. “I know she can be stuffy sometimes, but she's my best friend. She can just be really stubborn when she's convinced she's right about something.” He shook out his pelt, reaching up with one paw to scrape a tuft of moss off his shoulder. “Finpw knows you're not here to harm my Clan, but she can't allow herself to be friends with a ThunderClan cat under any circumstances. She would see it as a betrayal of the warrior code and her Clan.”

     Silentpaw sighed. “I guess I can understand that.” In truth, Finpaw's stuffiness didn't put her off that much. She'd gotten used to it. Apart from the occasional snippy comment, Finpaw wasn't really that bad. She could even be fun when Silentpaw managed to draw her into a battle of snark.

     Without warning, a moss ball flew out of nowhere and whacked Silentpaw in the back of the head. She started, head twisting around wildly to try and figure out where it came from. Only after the initial surprise wore off did she realize it came from Finpaw's direction. The apprentice didn't turn back to look at Silentpaw, but she thought she could detect the faintes amusement from the swish of her tail. Silentpaw purred, curling her tail in delight. She'd actually gotten Finpaw to act like a friend for two seconds.

     Eelpaw's whiskers twitched. “See? Not so bad.”

**SCENEBREAK**

     The apprentices brought their haul back to camp around sunhigh. The fresh-kill pile was still smaller than it should be, but it was growing steadily now that the prey was returning. As they were dropping off their prey, Mistystar approached them. “Silentpaw, Finpaw, could I see you two for a moment? I need you for a rather special patrol.” Curiosity itched at Silentpaw's pelt, but she just dipped her head in acceptance.

     Mistystar led them to the camp's entrance. Rushtail, Minnowtail, Reedwhisker, Willowshine, and Petalfur waited there. Petalfur touched Silentpaw's nose in a friendly manner when they joined the patrol, and Willowshine purred a quick greeting.  “Silentpaw. How's the training going?” she asked.''

     “Very well,” Silentpaw purred in reply. She tried not to look too confused as she took in Willowshine's scent. What was the medicine cat doing on a warrior patrol?

     Mistystar stood at the head of the patrol, her tail held high. “Let's go.” She led the patrol out of camp, taking them through the territory. The leader still hadn't stated what the patrol was for, and she didn't speak at all as they walked along. Silentpaw grew even more curious as they neared the horseplace, but didn't bother to ask. She knew Mistystar wouldn't explain herself until she was ready.

     Finally, Mistystar halted the patrol at the lake's edge. Silentpaw sniffed the air, stiffening in surprise at the familiar scents. Of course. This was where the tree-bride leading to the Gathering island had once been.

     Mistystar came to stand in front of the patrol, and finally spoke. “As you all know, the tree-bridge was washed away by the storm. Without it, the other Clans will have no way to reach the island. I have been consulting with Reedwhisker and Willowshine, and we believe we've come up with a suitable way to replace the tree-bridge.”

     Reedwhisker and Willowshine moved past the other cats, sitting beside their leader. “We will build a new bridge made of pebbles,” the deputy explained to his Clanmates.

     Willowshine added, “We figure it will take a moon, perhaps a bit more, if we all work together. Cats will carry pebbles down to the bottom of the lake and arrange them so they form a bridge to the gathering island.”

     The patrol broke out into excited murmurs. Silentpaw's tail shot up, her pelt tingling with excitement. She'd been wondering for a while how the Clans were going to continue to use the Gathering island, and now it looked liked Reedwhisker, Willowshine, and Mistystar had found the perfect solution.

     “Are we starting now?” Petalfur asked.

     Mistystar nodded. “Yes. We'll work until sunset, then we'll send out another patrol to work until moonhigh. The Clans will already be missing this next upcoming Gathering. I want this done before the next full moon, so we don't have to miss another.” She paused, looking over the patrol. “Well, if that's everything, then let us begin.”

     There as a great rush of movement. Cats were moving about everything, picking out pebbles along the water's edge and diving into the lake. Before Silentpaw could follow them, however, Mistystar stopped her briefly. “I almost forgot to ask,” the leader mewed. “Can you swim?”

     “Yes.” Jayfeather had taught her and Blazepaw both swimming above and underwater. She was far stronger in the former than in the latter, but she could still do it. Mistystar gave a small nod in reply, then padded off to collect her own pebble.

     Silentpaw dug up rock partially covered in dirt, then strode up to the water's edge, stepping in without hesitation. She flinched as cold water rushed quickly over her pelt, but forced herself to keep going, waiting until she was closer to the island before ducking down under the surface.

     Once she was under, she became a little disoriented. Without her sight, it was hard to tell which way was up, and where the island's edge was. She forced herself to remain calm. With strong, sure strokes, she kept pushing herself down, feeling the water ripple as cats moved all around her. Finally, she reached the bottom. There were pebbles already down there, forming a small line on the bottom of the lake. Silentpaw dropped hers beside them, then gave a strong push off the lake floor, swimming strongly towards the surface.

     The patrol worked hard through most of the day, dropping pebble after pebble onto the lake's floor. It was slow work, but Silentpaw couldn't help but be proud of the work they managed to get done. A small but steady line of pebbles lay at the lake's floor, connecting all the way from the lake's edge to the Gathering island. If they kept the work up like this, she couldn't imagine it would take too long for the bridge to rise above the water.

     Silentpaw was exhausted and completely soaked through by the time the patrol finished working for the day. Her muscles ached from having to swim back and forth, but the feeling of accomplishment glowed in her chest stronger than the pain. As they headed back towards camp, Silentpaw got caught up in conversation with Petalfur and Minnowtail. “I can't wait for the next Gathering,” Petalfur was saying. “I wanted to hear the rest of Cloudtail's story about the time he fought a fox as an apprentice.”

     That got a purr out of Silentpaw. “Oh, that old tale. If you want the real story, talk to Brightheart,” she told Petalfur. “And make sure to ask her about the time he thought a weasel was a badger.”

     Minnowtail _mrowrred_ in laughter. “I just want to see the leaders up on the Great Tree again. It feels strange to be skipping the Gathering this time. Like the Clans have been cut off.”

     Silentpaw shrugged. “The flood will die down soon enough, and it'll be easier to travel from Clan to Clan. Besides, Dovewing and Jayfeather can keep an eye on any Clan and pass on any message needed.”

     Both RiverClan cats stiffened at the mention of the Three's powers. Silentpaw was surprised at the reaction, before remembering that they weren't her Clanmates. Of course they would be wary of another Clan having such powerful members. “I know what you're thinking,” she said shrewdly, “but I grew up with these cats. Jayfeather is my father's brother, and Dovewing is my kin. I know them, and I know they would never use their powers to spy, or hurt another Clan.”

     Minnowtail just shrugged. “If you say so.” It was clear she hadn't fully convinced either cat, but she decided not to push the issue. It had only been a season since the Clans had all learned of the Three's powers. Time would teach them that these cats wouldn't use their powers irresponsibly.

     They finally reached the camp. RiverClan's temporary camp was as familiar to Silentpaw now as her own. She couldn't imagine RiverClan living anywhere else now, and it almost odd to think that she would no longer be living here soon. ThunderClan was her home, and she missed it dearly, true, but RiverClan was starting to feel like home now, too. She had friends here, cats she cared about.

     As they entered camp, Eelpaw padded up to greet her. “Want to eat by the mossy rock?” he asked.

     “Actually, I was planning to take something to the elders to eat,” Silentpaw told him. “Join me?” At Eelpaw's nod, she started towards the fresh-kill pile, grabbing a trout. With the flood waters receding, the fish were starting to return to the lake, and patrols had resumed hunting them as well as land prey. Silentpaw still couldn't get used to the bland taste of fish, but she knew the elders would prefer it.

     She and Eelpaw made their way to the elder's den, each with a fish in their jaws. RiverClan's two elders, Pouncetail and Graymist, were staying in a burrow near the top center of the boulders circling the camp. They looked up from their nests as the apprentices entered the dens. “Eelpaw,” Graymist purred. The apprentice touched noses briefly with the elder as Graymist purred. She was his father's mother, Silentpaw remembered. “And Silentpaw. How wonderful to see you both.”

     “Are those fish for us?” Pouncetail asked, licking his lips.

     Silentpaw answered by dropping it in front of the elder. “All yours,” she told him. Eelpaw gave his fish to Graymist, who dug in right away.

     As Pouncetail ate, he asked Silentpaw, “Would you like a bite?”

     Silentpaw hesitated, but she couldn't refuse without looking rude. “Alright,” she mewed. She stretched her muzzle forward and lapped up a few flakes of fish. It tasted as bland as ever, but it was a nice gesture, at the least. She laid down on the dusty floor of the den, Eelpaw beside her.

     There was silence as the elders ate, broken only by the sound of them gulping down fish. Finally, they finished their meal. As Pouncetail licked his lips clean, he mewed, “So, Silentpaw, I heard Mistystar took you and the others out to start making a new bridge to the Gathering island earlier.” Eelpaw's ear flicked in surprise, but he didn't comment, only turning to look at Silentpaw.

     She nodded. “Mistystar's having us build a bridge made of pebbles. She says it should be done by the next Gathering.”

     “Ah, that's good,” Graymist purred. “It doesn't feel right, skipping a Gathering. StarClan will not be pleased that we won't be attending this moon.”

      _StarClan will just have to deal with it,_ Silentpaw thought privately, but she knew she couldn't say it aloud, especially not to the elders. It wouldn't be respectful. Graymist seemed to have some guess of what she was thinking, however. The elder's pelt quivered with amusement as she mewed, “But to you young cats, I suppose it's different. Now, I don't suppose you might want to hear a  story?”

     Both apprentices looked up eagerly at the mention of a story. Graymist purred in amusement. “Well, I think the story of the Great Battle will do. Would you like to help me with this one, Pouncetail? After all, it's your tale.”

     Pouncetail dipped his head. “Very well. It started when WindClan attacked ThunderClan in their camp one night.” As the elder began his tale, Silentpaw closed her eyes, giving a contented purr. Little by little, RiverClan was starting to recover from the flood. Life here was good. And try as she might, she couldn't imagine leaving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and it's plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.
> 
> This one took a little longer to write, I got a little blocked. And why are the Silentpaw chapters always shorter? *sigh*
> 
> So yeah, there's now going to be a pebble bridge instead of a tree bridge to the Gathering island. The Clans will still be able to use the island after all.
> 
> Next up is Blazepaw, again.


	24. Chapter Twenty Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Squirrelflight's kits are coming.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Twenty Two

     “You can do it, Squirrelflight!”

     The deputy let out an hair-raising shriek. Blazepaw could just barely hear Bramblestar's encouragement over the terrible noise, and the yowled commands of Leafpool and Jayfeather.

     Barely a quarter of a moon after Tawnypelt's fatal kitting, and now Squirrelflight was birthing her own kits. And by the looks of it, this birth was going to be as painful as Tawnypelt's.

     Blazepaw was in his own den on the lower level, sharing a squirrel with Amberpaw, and he could still hear the terrible wailing above in the nursery. It was horrible to hear, and impossible to escape.

     He could hear Bramblestar frantically meowing to his mate. “Please, Squirrelflight, you have to be strong. You can do this. You're the strongest cat I know. Squirrelflight, please, I love you so much, don't leave me!” The terror in his voice was agony to hear. Bramblestar and Squirrelflight were the parents of Blazepaw's father. He had always been close to the both of them. The thought of Squirrelflight dying and Bramblestar left to grieve was terrifying for the young apprentice.

     “Doesn't sound like it's going well,” Amberpaw said quietly. Her eyes were lit up with fear, and Blazepaw was sure he looked the same. Tawnypelt's death had been terrifying enough to witness. But what would ThunderClan do if their deputy were to die?

     He leaned down to pick at the squirrel, but he had no appetite. His belly was all tight and twisted with worry. After a few moments, he got to his paws, pacing within the den.

     Apparently, not all of his denmates appreciated that. “Stand still, will you?” Sparkpaw growled, looking up from his nest. “I'm trying to sleep over here.” The cream-and-white tom curled his tail around himself, closing his eyes.

     Blazepaw's ears drooped. “Sorry,” he muttered. He tried to return to his nest, but he was far too antsy to sit still.

     Finally, Amberpaw glared at him and snarled, “Quit fidgeting! You're not the only cat who's nervous.” She sighed. “Listen, if we sneak up to see what's going on, will you feel better?” Jayfeather had ordered every cat leave the nursery alone while Squirrelflight brought her kits to the world.

     The idea of seeing another terrible death terrified the apprentice. But he knew he'd feel worse if he just sat and did nothing. “Alright,” he agreed.

     Without opening his eyes, Sparkpaw warned them, “You're going to get caught.”

     “Then that's our problem,” Amberpaw retorted. She and Blazepaw abandoned their nests, heading cautiously out into the main part of the nest.

     It was still very early in the morning, so not many cats were out of their dens. They were either somehow still asleep, or they were trying to sleep through the dreadful wailing. The room was clear. Amberpaw and Blazepaw slunk carefully towards the blocks that led to the higher levels

     They were about to start climbing when a voice sounded behind them. “And where do you think you're going?”

     Both apprentices froze. They cast a guilty glance at Poppyfrost, who stood behind them with a knowing look. “Nowhere,” Blazepaw muttered.

     Poppyfrost didn't look impressed. “Jayfeather told cats to stay out the nursery,” she reminded them firmly. “If you want to do something productive, get fresh moss for the elder's den.”

     Before either apprentice could reply, a cat yowled from above, “The kits are here!” Blazepaw's heart caught in his chest. _What about Squirrelflight?_ Ignoring Poppyfrost's warning behind him, he bolted towards the blocks, Amberpaw hot on his heels.

     Cats were beginning to gather around the nursery, looking just as anxious as Blazepaw felt. His heart froze when Leafpool padded out of the den, two strange, twisted pink forms in her jaws. She padded past them and down the blocks without giving any answers.

     A few moments later, Bramblestar padded out of the den, looking dazed. Cats immediately crowded around their leader.

     “How is she?”  
     “Are the kits healthy?”  
     “What do they look like?”

     The broad-shouldered tabby silenced them all with a wave of his tail. He shook his head once, still looking dazed as he mewed, “The kitting was hard. Two of the kits were dead long before they were born. Leafpool has taken them to be buried.” Blazepaw remembered the small, twisted bodies Leafpool had carried and shuddered.

     “How is Squirrelflight?” Molefoot called from the back of the crowd.

     Bramblestar lifted his head, letting out a rusty purr. “She's lost a lot of blood, and she's exhausted, but Jayfeather says she just needs rest and herbs.” Blazepaw felt almost dizzy with relief. Squirrelflight was really going to be alright. “We have one healthy daughter.”

     Meows and purrs of congratulation rippled through the crowd. Blazepaw tried to catch a glimpse of Squirrelflight and the new kit through the throng of cats, but all he saw was a flash of Squirrelflight's ginger pelt. From the crowd, Lionblaze asked, “What's the kit's name?”

     The leader's gaze softened at the thought of his new daughter. Slowly, he began, “Squirrelflight and I talked about it. When I became leader, I promised I would honor our ancestors who lived with honor, not the cats who walk in dark places. In honor of one of those starry warriors, we have decided to name our daughter Redkit.”

     Blazepaw stiffened in surprise. _After Redtail,_ he realized. Judging by the surprised murmurs from his Clanmates, they had come to the same conclusion. Bramblestar's father, Tigerstar, had murdered many cats in his lifetime. But the first had been Redtail, the ThunderClan deputy he had killed in the hopes of becoming deputy himself. The legendary Firestar had worked hard to uncover the truth about Redtail's murder and bring Tigerstar to justice. Naming his daughter after the murdered deputy was both honoring Redtail and acknowledging the crime of his father. It was an interesting choice, to be sure.

     Jayfeather emerged from the nursery, glaring sternly at his Clanmates. “Squirrelflight needs her rest,” he growled. “I know you all want to see the new kit, but for the time being, only close kin is allowed in to visit. She doesn't need the whole Clan in her face right now.”

     Bramblestar lifted his head. “I'll assign patrols for the day.”

     The crowd began to break up as cats either returned to their dens or went off on the patrols Bramblestar handed out. Blazepaw saw his father join Jayfeather by the nursery entrance. Both toms talked briefly, then entered the den. Of course they would be let inside; they might not have actually been Squirrelflight's kits by blood, but she had raised them long enough that she was undoubtedly still a mother to them, especially now that both of them had forgiven her. They must be eager to greet their newest sister.

     “Blazepaw.” The apprentice nearly jumped at the call of his name. He looked up to see Bramblestar looking at him. “You're on Hazeltail's hunting patrol. See if you can bring something back for Squirrelflight. She'll need to keep her strength up.”

     He couldn't help the surprise in his tone. “Hazeltail's leading a patrol?” Queens rarely went on patrols when they were still looking after their kits.

     “With all the new kits in the Clan, we need all the cats working we've got,” Bramblestar explained. “She volunteered, and I'm not going to turn away any cat who's willing to hunt right now.”

     Blazepaw dipped his head. “Yes, Bramblestar.” He padded over to join his patrol, which waited by the blocks. Hazeltail was talking to Foxleap in a low voice as he approached. “You'll look after Finchkit while I'm gone?” the queen checked.

     “Of course,” Foxleap purred. He reached out, rubbing his muzzle against Hazeltail's cheek. She closed her eyes, purring as she leaned into her mate's touch. Blazepaw watched with a purr. The queen had seemed pretty closed off since her daughter's death, so it was nice to see her starting to open up to her Clanmates and family again.

     Berrynose, Blossomfall, and Dewfrost were the other cats on the patrol. The ShadowClan warrior had been much less hostile to her ThunderClan hosts since Tawnypelt's death. Berrynose was glaring at Dewfrost with undisguised hostility, but the rest of the patrol didn't seem to mind her. “Let's go,” Hazeltail said. She led her patrol down the blocks and out of the twoleg nest, out into the forest.

     As they walked through the trees, Dewfrost asked, “So, where are we hunting?”

     “The ditch by the redwood,” Hazeltail answered. Blazepaw's ears perked with interest. He had noticed that, every time he was on a patrol with Dewfrost, they tended to hunt as far from ShadowClan's border as they could go. Probably his Clanmates didn't want to give Dewfrost an idea of where the good hunting spots were near the border, in case ShadowClan wanted to try their paw at stealing territory.

     If Dewfrost had noticed the same thing, she gave no indication of it. She simply nodded and following Hazeltail without complaint.

     Blazepaw couldn't help but be curious about the ShadowClan warrior. Dewfrost's spiky pelt was unlike any he'd seen in ThunderClan, and the only ShadowClan cat he'd ever spoken to was that cat Wetwhisker briefly at the Gathering. Now that she was being more friendly, it didn't seem so intimidating to talk to her. He sped up to walk beside the taller warrior. “What's it like in ShadowClan?” he asked curiously. The ThunderClan apprentice, used to soft undergrowth beneath his paws and tall oaks overhead, couldn't understand the appeal of wet marshes and pine. As odd as it felt to have a ShadowClan warrior staying in his camp, it did offer a great opportunity to learn about another way of life.

     Dewfrost stared down at him with a suspicious glare, but when she saw the apprentice's eager, curious expression, the glare softened into a look of amusement. “Not that different from ThunderClan, now that I've seen what your Clan's like,” she admitted. “Grumpy elders, nosy kits, Clanmates and family. It's usually more wet underpaw, and the trees smell different, and I kind of miss the taste of frog.” Blazepaw wrinkled his nose at the thought, which got a purr of amusement from Dewfrost. “But honestly, it isn't much different from one Clan to another. We're all just warriors living under StarClan, trying to get by.”

     The warrior's relaxed tone surprised Blazepaw. Only a quarter moon ago, she'd been growling at any ThunderClan cat that looked at her wrong. Now she was calmly discussing her Clan with an enemy apprentice. “If you don't mind me saying,” he mewed quietly, “you seem pretty friendly for a ShadowClan cat.”

     She gave him a sharp look. “Oh, don't tell me that old nonsense about the north wind chilling the hearts of ShadowClan cats is coming back,” she groaned. “If ShadowClan cats aren't very friendly, it's because we're fiercely protective of our land and of each other. We don't trust very easily. But you're right, I was pretty prickly when I first got here.” The warrior sighed, grief glinting in her eyes as she explained, “Tawnypelt was so weak when your patrol found us. I was so scared that ThunderClan would see it as a chance to take advantage of her, maybe hurt her somehow. I wanted to protect her. But now I see that I was wrong. Jayfeather and Leafpool did everything they could to save her life. ThunderClan mourned for Tawnypelt as they would any Clanmate, and her kits are being protected as well as any ThunderClan kits. I couldn't be more grateful to ThunderClan for what they've done.”

     Blazepaw couldn't help but be a little uneasy. “But aren't the Clans supposed to be separate?” he argued. “The warrior code says we must be loyal to our Clan above all else. Doesn't that mean we shouldn't just let cats stroll from Clan to Clan whenever they feel like it.”

     “Of course our first loyalty should be to our Clan,” Dewfrost replied. “But that doesn't mean the Clans can't help each other out. The Clans have always been strongest when they stood together.”

     The apprentice flattened his ears against his head, looking away. Dewfrost was probably right. But the way the borders between the Clans seemed to be blurring didn't seem right. Why did Silentpaw think she could just stroll into RiverClan's territory and practically join them, and why was Dewfrost just allowed to hunt in their territory and sleep in their dens like she was a ThunderClan warrior?

     Was this how the Clans were supposed to live?

**SCENEBREAK**

     The patrol returned to camp with a considerable haul of prey. Blazepaw carried a rather large pigeon, head lifted proudly. Dewfrost carried two mice and a squirrel, which she took straight to the elder's den when they arrived. As uneasy as Blazepaw was about the whole thing, he couldn't deny that Dewfrost was working hard for his Clan.

     As Blazepaw headed for the nursery, he noticed Hazeltail break off and head for one of the unused dens. Curious, he padded after her, peering into the den.

     Hazeltail had been as hard as stone ever since Petalkit had died. She hadn't shown any hint of grief when she died, and she had worn an expression of stone when she had carried her kit to be buried. The only affection or joy she had shown was around her mate, and Finchkit. To everyone else, she showed no trace of emotion. Blazepaw had almost wondered if she was mourning Petalkit at all. But now, in the unused den, he finally saw Hazeltail break down.

     Daisy was there, and Hazeltail was crouched against her, trembling and mewling in grief. Daisy was curled around her daughter, licking her ears and murmuring to her in a hushed, soothing tone. All of the mother's agony over losing her daughter was pouring out now. Her muzzle was buried in her paws, her cries and whimpers muffled by her fur. Even from how far away Blazepaw was, he could see how badly she was shaking. He couldn't heart what Daisy was saying to her daughter, but he saw her lay a paw on Hazeltail's back to steady her, and he could see the love and concern shining in her blue eyes.

     Shocked, Blazepaw froze. He hadn't meant to spy on Hazeltail like this. She was breaking down, and it wasn't for him to see. Slowly, so they wouldn't hear him, the apprentice backed away.

     “Blazepaw.” He nearly leaped out his pelt when Dovewing spoke behind him. Blazepaw spun around to face her, pelt bristling, dropping the pigeon he'd been carrying. The queen still looked tired from looking after her kits, but she wore a knowing expression as she looked at Blazepaw. “Spying on Clanmates, are we?”

     Blazepaw's eyes were wide. “I-I didn't mean...”

     She sighed. “Come on.” The gray queen began leading Blazepaw towards the nursery, away from Hazeltail. “I think you were supposed to deliver prey to Squirrelflight.”

     “Yeah.” He hesitated. After spying on Hazeltail, Dovewing probably wasn't very happy with him. But he had to ask. “Have you seen Silentpaw lately?”

     The gray queen's gaze grew distant for a moment. “She's hunting,” she told him after a few moments. “There's other apprentices and warriors with her. Some gray tom I don't know with an underbite.”

     “That's Eelpaw,” Blazepaw told her.

     Dovewing nodded. “They're swimming in the lake. Silentpaw just flicked water at Eelpaw, and they're laughing. She doesn't look as skinny now.”

     Something twisted in his gut. “Does she look happy?” he rasped.

     The gray queen's eyes glowed with sympathy as she looked at Blazepaw. “Yeah, she does,” she admitted.

     There was a gnawing feeling in Blazepaw's belly. Silentpaw had been with RiverClan for nearly a moon now, and every time he asked Dovewing to check on her, she was playing or joking or laughing, or just looking happy with the cats around her. He hadn't dared to ask himself the question that flared to the surface every time he spoke to Dovewing, but now that nearly a moon had passed, he couldn't ignore it anymore.

     What if Silentpaw didn't want to come back to ThunderClan?

     Dovewing seemed to understand what he was thinking, even without Jayfeather's powers. “Come on,” she said, prodding him with one paw. “You can't do anything about Silentpaw right now. Let's go meet Redkit.”

     Blazepaw sighed. Dovewing was right. Whatever Silentpaw chose, he wouldn't be able to change her mind. It was up to her whether she returned or not. For now, he would have to focus on the Clanmates he could help.

     He followed Dovewing into the nursery. Foxleap was playing with Finchkit, Skykit, and Ripplekit in the far corner while Squirrelflight was curled up in her nest, looking exhausted. She looked up as Blazepaw and Dovewing walked in. “Blazepaw?” she asked in a hoarse rasp.

     “Hi Squirrelflight,” the apprentice dropped the pigeon at her paws. “Bramblestar asked me to bring you something to eat.”

     She relaxed. “Thank you, Blazepaw. With a purr, she moved her tail, uncovering the little bodies by her belly. “Have you met ThunderClan's newest member yet?”

     He crouched, looking at the three kits at her belly. Tawnypelt's pale ginger and dark tabby kits were still there, kneading at Squirrelflight's soft, pale fur. Between the two larger kits was a small, red-brown tabby. Redkit seemed like the perfect mix of her parents' pelts. Her eyes weren't open yet, but her jaws opened in a yawn, revealing very tiny teeth and a little, pink tongue. Blazepaw felt a rush of warmth at the sight of the tiny kitten. “Hello, little Clanmate,” he purred. Dovewing was right. Silentpaw would have to make her own choice about where she wanted to be. As for Blazepaw, he knew exactly where he belonged.

     “Welcome to ThunderClan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and its plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.
> 
> More Blazepaw in ThunderClan. And we finally get to see Squirrelflight's kit. I've been waiting to reveal Redkit for a while now, so I was really excited to write this chapter. :D As an adult, she'll be between the heights and muscle tones of her parents, and she's have a round, scruffy face, and her mother's green eyes. I'll draw her later. :D
> 
> Back to Silentpaw and RiverClan next. ^^ I only have two chapters for each apprentice left. That's kind of crazy.


	25. Chapter Twenty Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silentpaw has a decision to make.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Twenty Three

     Silentpaw plucked up a cod from the fresh-kill pile, trying to ignore the taste of it on her tongue. All around her, cats were busy, gathering branches and moss from the dens, or carrying herbs or prey. Today was the day RiverClan moved back into their old camp.

     Several times, Silentpaw had forgotten the camp she'd been living in was only a temporary one. It was so comfortable, and it was starting to feel like a real home.

     “Are you going to miss this place?”

     She nearly jumped at Eelpaw's voice behind her. He'd managed to sneak up on her, somehow. “Huh?” She dropped the cod at her paws. “Oh, well, yes,” she admitted.

     He purred. “Me too,” he told her. “I'll miss eating by the mossy rock.”

     “And competing to see who could climb the tallest boulder,” she added with relish.

     Eelpaw twisted his head around to glance around the whole camp. “This hasn't been too bad as a camp. But I really want to show you our real camp. You'll love the apprentice's den. Finpaw and I wove feathers and shiny twoleg things into the walls of the den.” He sobered. “Who knows if they'll still be there after the flood, though.”

     Silentpaw could tell her friend was getting nervous about the return to their camp. She couldn't blame him – his camp had been underwater for an entire moon. Who knew how much it had changed? But she couldn't say that to Eelpaw. Instead, she reached out and gave his ear a friendly lick. “Don't worry about it,” she told him, lifting her head confidently. “Your camp will be fine. Whatever damage the flood did, it can be rebuilt.”

     “You're right.” Eelpaw relaxed. “Thanks, Silentpaw.”

     She flicked her tail with a purr. “You're welcome. Now come on, let's get this load to camp.” Silentpaw picked up the cod as Eelpaw grabbed a pike off the fresh-kill pile. Together, the apprentices joined the crowd steadily gathering by the camp's entrance.

     Mistystar stood before her Clan, head and tail head high. “RiverClan, today we reclaim our home,” she called out in a voice rippling with strength and pride. “The flood took everything from us. We lost our home, our prey, our pride. But we survived, because we are RiverClan!”

     The crowd was buzzing with excitement. Cats began to chant, “RiverClan! RiverClan! RiverClan!” Silentpaw joined in, her heart bursting with pride as she cried out, “RiverClan! RiverClan!”

     “Now let's go home!” The RiverClan cats yowled in excitement. Mistystar began leading her Clan through their territory. Silentpaw walked alongside Eelpaw, Finpaw, and Pondbreeze. Every cat's jaws were full of something, so none of them spoke. But the excitement was thick in the air, crackling like a storm. Silentpaw's pelt was bristling with it. She could barely keep herself from taking off at a full run. As much as she would miss the camp in the boulders, she couldn't wait to help RiverClan settle back into their home.

     She could hear cats towards the front of the group yowling with joy as they grew closer. “We're home!” Willowshine yowled. Yowling and roaring with joy, the cats of RiverClan took off, pawsteps thundering over the land as they raced towards their home. Silentpaw ran beside them, her heart pounding hard in her chest.

     There were several splashes as cats dove into water. Silentpaw felt a jolt of surprise as her paws brushed against water, but after the initial surprise, she leaped in without hesitation. Eelpaw and Pondbreeze swam beside her, guiding her through the water, until they reached the other side.

     Together, they climbed up on the shore. Eelpaw dropped his pike, shaking out his wet pelt. “We're here,” he breathed, sounding like he could hardly believe it. “This is our camp.”

     Silentpaw lifted her nose, trying to scent the camp, but all she could smell was the cod in her jaws. Eelpaw spoke again, sounding excited as a kit. “Let me show you where the fresh-kill pile usually is.”

     He led her through the camp, practically bounding with excitement. Other cats were already working, dropping off prey at the fresh-kill pile or restoring dens. Silentpaw dropped her cod where Eelpaw directed her. She could smell the other fish there; the pile was steadily growing. From across the camp, behind a thorn bush, Willowshine called out. “Most of my herbs are gone, but the den seems fine. I should have enough stores from the other camp to restock.”

     “The dens aren't too badly damaged, Mistystar,” Minnowtail reported. “Part of the warrior's den was torn away, and the nursery has a gap in it, but the structures are sound. It shouldn't take long to rebuild at all.”

     Mistystar strode into the center of camp, looking all around with a purr. “Excellent,” she said. The leader bounded towards a tree stump near the fresh-kill pile, slithering up the bark to stand atop the stump. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Tall Stump for a Clan meeting,” she yowled.

     Slowly, cats began to gather at the familiar call. Silentpaw stood to the front of the crowd, Pondbreeze and Eelpaw on either side of her. As they listened, Mistystar spoke. “The flood has ended, cats of RiverClan. Our territory is our own again. The construction of the pebble bridge is going well; by the time the Clans see us again, they will know nothing of our loss. They will only see that RiverClan is as strong as it has ever been!” All around, cats were cheering and yowling in support.

     A single flick of Mistystar's tail instantly silenced the gathered cats. “And what better way to show the Clans our strength than to introduce to them a new warrior?” She peered out into the crow. “Yarrowpaw, are you here?”

     Silentpaw heard pawsteps as the apprentice approached the tree stump. His pelt bristled with shock, and his legs were stiff as he padded forward. She and Yarrowpaw had never gotten along, but she couldn't help but feel a rush of pride for the tom.

     Mistystar leaped down from the stump, lifting her head proudly as she addressed her warrior ancestors in her home once more. “I, Mistystar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn.” Yarrowpaw lifted his head, pride beginning to replace his fear. “Yarrowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?”

     The young tom rumbled, “I do.”

     “Then by the power of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Yarrowpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Yarrowleaf. StarClan honors your ferocity and your strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan.” Yarrowleaf dipped his head to his leader. Mistystar rested her chin on his head, and he in turn licked her shoulder respectfully.

     “Yarrowleaf! Yarrowleaf! Yarrowleaf!” The Clan's voices rang out, strong with pride. RiverClan was home again, and they knew they were strong. The naming of a new warrior drove that home more than anything. Silentpaw yowled out beside her RiverClan friends. “Yarrowleaf! Yarrowleaf!” It didn't matter that she couldn't stand the aggressive tom. This was a proud moment for RiverClan, and Silentpaw was hardly about to let her personal feelings about once cat get in the way. “Yarrowleaf!”

     As the cheering died down, Mistystar spoke again. “As is tradition, Yarrowleaf will stand silent vigil tonight. But for now, our efforts must remain on rebuilding our camp. Reedwhisker will assign cats to rebuild sections of the camp.”

     The crowd broke up as the meeting ended. Reedwhisker began handing out patrols and assigning cats to rebuild. “Silentpaw, Finpaw, Minnowtail, Yarrowleaf,” he called, “I want you to patrol ShadowClan's border.”

     “If you don't mind, Reedwhisker, I'd like to lead this patrol.” Silentpaw was surprised to hear Mistystar speak behind them.

     Reedwhisker dipped his head. “Of course,” he mewed.

     Mistystar passed Silentpaw as she approached the patrol. “Come along, little one,” she mewed in a low voice. “Our patrol waits.”

**SCENEBREAK**

     The patrol left RiverClan's camp behind. It didn't take long for them to reach ShadowClan's border. To their surprise, however, it wasn't empty of cats. A ShadowClan patrol was there, sitting comfortably, as though they were waiting for them to arrive. Silentpaw could scent three cats, all warriors. She stiffened. What if one of them recognized her? The other Clans didn't need to know a ThunderClan apprentice had been helping RiverClan.

     Yarrowleaf bristled and arched his back threateningly, predictably, but a sharp hiss from his leader made him sheathe his claws. Mistystar signaled to the patrol to stay back, then took a step towards the ShadowClan patrol. “Specklefoot. Snowbird. Wetwhisker,” the leader greeted coolly. “What brings you to the border today?”

     The younger she-cat, Specklefoot, spoke. “Greetings, Mistystar,” she said evenly. “We've come seeking two of our warriors. They seemed to have gotten lost during the flood.” Her tone was stiff. Silentpaw guessed that the ShadowClan warrior wasn't thrilled about admitting that they had lost cats. “A queen and a younger warrior. Have you seen them?”

     When the missing cats were mentioned, Mistystar relaxed, if only a little. “I'm sorry to say we haven't seen your cats. I will send word to Rowanstar if we hear any news about them. My sympathies.” It was a clear dismissal. Silentpaw was surprised Mistystar was being so curt. If there were truly cats missing, shouldn't they be doing all they could to help? But she held her tongue.

     Specklefoot hesitated, then dipped her head. “You have ShadowClan's thanks for it,” she rasped. Silentpaw could hear the concern under her tone – whoever these cats were, Specklefoot sounded truly worried for them, however she tried to hide it. “We will be back to check if you have heard more soon,” she added sharply. With that, Specklefoot took her patrol back into her own territory.

     Silentpaw blinked in surprise. “What was all that about?” she asked aloud. The ShadowClan cats seemed so cagey, they'd barely given anything away. Who were the cats that were missing? And why had Mistystar reacted so coldly to them?”

     Mistystar said nothing. She was staring over the border, watching the ShadowClan cats retreat into their own territory. Finally, she mewed, “Minnowtail, can you take them all back to camp?” she asked quietly. “I have a matter to discuss with Silentpaw.” The apprentice's ear flicked in surprise.

     The senior warrior seemed surprised as well, but didn't argue. “Yes, Mistystar,” Minnowtail said. She led the patrol away, taking them farther into RiverClan's territory.

     When they were gone, Silentpaw turned to Mistystar. “Why didn't you help ShadowClan find their cats?” she finally asked. With other cats around, she would never challenge the leader, but she was too curious to keep quiet now.

     Mistystar sighed. “We've been having trouble with ShadowClan stealing prey,” she admitted. Silentpaw remembered the Gathering, before the storm that had changed everything. Mistystar had accused Rowanstar and his warriors of prey theft. “They've left squirrel blood well beyond the border. We haven't scented them since the flood, but now that travel between territories is easier again, I'm sure we'll be finding their scents soon enough. I have to be wary of any ShadowClan patrol, in case they're here to steal.”

     Silentpaw gave a frustrated growl, lashing her tail. “Why can't the Clans just help each other?” she growled. “Everything would be so much easier if warriors didn't just tiptoe around each other every time they needed help.”

     The leader purred in amusement. “It isn't always as easy as that, sadly,” she told Silentpaw. “But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about.” She drew herself up, tone suddenly becoming serious. Silentpaw listened with ears perked. “Silentpaw, your reasons for coming here might have been flawed. But I am incredibly grateful for all the work you have done for my Clan. You have hunted for us, provided for our young and old, bolstered the spirits of our cats. You have friends here, and as a cat from outside the Clan, that is not an easy feat.”

     “Thank you, Mistystar,” Silentpaw mewed in confusion. She was flattered, but she didn't know where Mistystar was going with this.

     “You could have a place here, Silentpaw.” The apprentice stiffened in shock. “The apprentices have all but accepted you as one of their own, and the warriors and queens are all fond of you. You have the makings of a true RiverClan warrior.” Mistystar looked down at the apprentice, asking seriously, “What do you think, Silentpaw? Would you like to stay here?”

     Silentpaw's whole pelt was bristling in shock. She had started to consider RiverClan as comfortable as a home, true. But to become an apprentice of RiverClan? To stay there for the rest of her life? It was tempting, far more tempting than she could have ever imagined. She imagined training beside Finpaw and Eelpaw, earning her warrior name and hunting and fighting to defend the fish and the streams of RiverClan, the quiet lapping of the streams lulling her to sleep at night. It sounded wonderful.

     But then she thought about the cats she would be leaving behind. If she stayed, she would never hunt with her brother again. She would never train beside Snowpaw and Amberpaw, she would never hear Cloudtail's tall tales, or banter with Jayfeather, or have Cinderheart try and lick her ruffled fur flat. ThunderClan wasn't just her Clan; they were her family. RiverClan were her friends, but ThunderClan were her life. Every elder and kit and warrior was precious to her. As much as she had enjoyed her time with RiverClan, she could never leave them. She would live and die a ThunderClan cat, whatever other friends she mate.

     Her voice was strong with assurance as she told Mistystar, “I'm more grateful for this offer than I can say. But I can't stay here. ThunderClan is my home.”

     Mistystar was silent for a few moments. “I have to say, I hoped you would stay,” she finally said. “But I understand your decision. Only you know best where you belong.” Her tone became lighter as she told Silentpaw, “There was a time when I stayed with ThunderClan, you know.”

     Silentpaw's ears flew up in surprise. “Really?” It was odd to imagine the noble RiverClan leader among the trees and undergrowth of her own territory. To her, Mistystar would always be associated with the calm waters and fish of RiverClan.

     “Yes,” the leader replied. “Firestar offered me shelter after Stonefur's death. ThunderClan was very kind to let me stay with them, and being half ThunderClan, perhaps I could have made a home there. But my heart would always belong to RiverClan, and I always knew it. I returned, and eventually rose to the leadership of RiverClan.” She purred, touching noses with the apprentice. “I wish you the same luck, Silentpaw. RiverClan no longer needs your help. You may stay in our camp tonight, and tomorrow, a patrol will escort you back to ThunderClan.”

     The apprentice wanted to protest. She wanted more time to say goodbye to her friends. But she knew Mistystar was right. Silentpaw belonged in ThunderClan, and now that RiverClan no longer needed her help, she had to return to them. “Thank you Mistystar,” she said, dipping her head in respect. She was overcome with a rush of strong emotions. Her friendship with Eelpaw, her fondness for RiverClan, and for Darkbreeze, all came rushing to the surface. She didn't know what it was, but she felt like something was beginning, something powerful and important.

     “I may be a cat of ThunderClan,” she told Mistystar solemnly. She almost felt the strength of StarClan backing her words. “But I will never allow the boundaries between Clan and Clan to stop me from helping cats who need it. I have friends here, like you said. Whatever loyalty I have to ThunderClan, I will never spurn the friends I have made in other Clans to prove anything to my Clanmates. I will always do what I think is right, no matter what any cat thinks. I have been a friend to your Clan, Mistystar, and I will continue to be, even when I no longer live among you.”

     Mistystar stared silently at the apprentice. She was completely still – Silentpaw couldn't read her at all. Finally, she mewed, “Like I said, it's not always that easy. The Clans will always be enemies – we may have to face each other in battle one day. But I hope that you can keep your word.” She reached out her muzzle, touching her nose to Silentpaw's ear in a surprisingly fond gesture. “I'll miss you, little one.”

     The two cats made their way back to RiverClan's camp. Mistystar immediately made off to speak to Reedwhisker and Willowshine, while Silentpaw rejoined Eelpaw in the apprentice's den.

     The den was made of a hazel bush. After the repairs made during the day, it was tight and secure as if the flood had never happened. “Most of the feathers are gone, but there's a couple blue jay feathers about, and some finch feathers,” Eelpaw told her. He seemed determined to describe every inch of the camp to her. “There's some shells as well, and some shiny twoleg things. We don't know what they are, but they look pretty, all shiny and colorful. When the early morning sun shines through the den, they all light up and cast beautiful colors all over the den.”

     Silentpaw sat back on her hind legs, running her paws along the walls of the den. She could feel the thick branches of the bush, and the various bits and pieces that had been woven in. It was a nice texture. “It sounds beautiful,” she told Eelpaw, though she couldn't imagine any of it herself.

     Her tone seemed to tip Eelpaw off to something. He grew somber, his tone tinged with sadness as he asked, “You're leaving soon, aren't you?”

     She sighed. “Tomorrow,” she told him.

     Eelpaw hesitated. “I'll miss you,” he finally said, sounding a little stiff.

      _Oh no you don't._ “Eelpaw, I'm an apprentice of ThunderClan,” she told him firmly, thrusting her muzzle in his face. “But if you think for one minute that that means I won't be your friend anymore, think again. Don't push me away because I'm from another Clan.”

     “The warrior code says we're supposed to put our friendships aside for the good of our Clan,” Eelpaw argued.

     Silentpaw lashed her tail, ears flattening against her head. She snapped, “Do I look like I care? If I were going to listen to the warrior code every time it wanted to get in my way, I wouldn't even be here in the first place. You're one of my best friends, Eelpaw. There's no reason that has to change.”

     Eelpaw stared at her a moment longer. Finally, he sighed. “There's no point in arguing with you, is there?” Silentpaw was relieved to hear the warmth re-enter his tone. “Alright. Let's spend one last night here as denmates. Then I'll see you at the next Gathering.”

     Silentpaw purred. “I like the sound of that.”

     As the moon began to rise, Silentpaw curled up in her nest, in the apprentice den in RiverClan's true camp. As she closed her eyes, she felt Eelpaw's sides rise and fall beside her, and she heard Finpaw snoring from across the den. As she drifted off into sleep, she felt nothing but confidence about her decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and its plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.
> 
> I was not planning on writing two full chapters in one night. But ya know, stuff happens. XD
> 
> This was a really, really hard decision to make. I always planned to have Silentpaw return to ThunderClan. But writing her in RiverClan was so interesting, and she fit in so well, that I was insanely tempted to let her stay.
> 
> But I've planned out too much of this fic to change it now. And honestly, the main reason I sent her back to ThunderClan is because Ivypool is just too cool a mentor to give up.
> 
> Don't worry. This isn't the last we've seen of the RiverClan cats we've met here.
> 
> Back to Blazepaw, then we'll have only two chapters left, one to wrap up Silentpaw's story, and one to wrap up Blazepaw's story. Then it's onto Book Two of EOTW.


	26. Chapter Twenty Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ThunderClan receives a visit.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Twenty Four

     Blazepaw crouched, growling low in his chest as he tried to figure out a way to throw off his opponent. The gray tabby's pelt looked almost ginger in the glow of sunset. He bounded towards the larger tom, dodging to the side at the last minute and landing a powerful blow on the tom's shoulder. When the tabby whirled to meet him, Blazepaw slipped under his belly, knocking one of his hind legs out from under him on the way out. The tom stumbled, and Blazepaw slipped onto his back, wrestling his head to the ground with a fierce growl.

     The tabby struggled for a few moments before going limp. “Well done, Blazepaw,” Bumblestripe mewed warmly. Both cats separated, Blazepaw backing up so his mentor could get to his paws. He sat facing Bumblestripe, glowing with pride.

     “That was a great move, knocking my leg out from under me,” Bumblestripe said as he shook the sand out of his pelt. He sat and began grooming, cleaning the grit and sand out of his fur. “And nice timing on the dodge, though you should have aimed a little lower to truly knock me off balance. But we'll work on it later. Your fighting may need work, but you've been making excellent progress with your hunting.”

     Blazepaw held his head up proudly. “I had to, hunting's been hard, and the Clan needed to eat,” he explained as modestly as he could manage with the pride prickling at his pelt.

     “Still, I'm impressed with how hard you've been working,” Bumblestripe mewed warmly to his apprentice. “You have the makings of a fine warrior.” Blazepaw tried not to show how much those words made him want to bounce around gleefully like a kit. “Now,” he continued, lowering into a crouch, “let's try that move again, only aim lower this time.”

     The ginger tom nodded. He started to crouch, but before he could attack his mentor, Rosepetal bounded towards them, yowling gleefully. “Bramblestar wants every cat back at camp,” she announced, tail curled with joy. “He's decided we're moving back to camp in the morning, he wants every cat to rest for the trip.”

     Mentor and apprentice shared an excited glance. The last few patrols to check the lake's borders had reported that the camp was no longer underwater. Now, it seemed Bramblestar had finally deemed the camp water-free enough to live in once again. “Home,” he breathed. “We get to go _home._ ” He would be able to sleep in the cave with his moss nest, and eat prey beneath the sky, and listen to Bramblestar speak from the Highledge, and listen to Spiderleg grumbling beneath the roots of a birch tree. The twoleg nest didn't feel nearly as constricting now, after a moon of living there, but it would never be home. Not the way the stone hollow was.

     Bumblestripe got to his paws. “Thank you, Rosepetal,” he told the dark cream she-cat. “We'll return now.” He glanced down at his apprentice with a knowing expression. “Ready to go home?” he asked.

     “Yes!” Blazepaw bounded to his paws, excited as a kit. He had to resist the urge to take off for the stone hollow right that moment. “Let's get back to the nest!” He wanted to get to sleep so morning would come sooner.

     His mentor purred in amusement. “Alright. Let's go.” Bumblestripe, Blazepaw, and Rosepetal left the sandy training area behind and started towards the twoleg nest.

**SCENEBREAK**

     Bramblestar was there to greet them when the cats returned. “Good, you're here,” the dark tabby rumbled as Lionblaze touched noses with his son. “The only cats left are the last border patrol. I sent Lilyfrost to bring them back to camp. Hopefully, they'll come back soon.”

     “What are we doing about Squirrelflight?” Bumblestripe asked curiously. “Isn't Redkit too young to be moved? She was only born a quarter-moon ago.”

     The leader shook his head. “Squirrelflight says she'll be fine. She's carrying Redkit herself.” He flicked his tail in dismissal, and Bumblestripe and Blazepaw padded off. The apprentice bounded up the blocks to the upper level and grabbed a finch off the fresh-kill pile.

     As he was heading back down the blocks, he heard Bramblestar speaking, “There is something I've been meaning to ask you.” When the reached the lower level, he saw the leader speaking with Lionblaze. He snuck around the warriors, heading for his own den. “We need to tell Rowanstar that Tawnypelt has died. I'm sending you alone to the camp. If Rowanstar reacts badly or tries to blame ThunderClan for her death, he might attack whoever I send there.”

     “And I'm the only one with no chance of getting harmed,” Lionblaze realized. “Very well. When do you want me to leave?”

     “After we get settled back into camp.”

     Lionblaze was about to reply when Lilyfrost padded into the nest. “I found the patrol.” Blazepaw paused just outside his den, turning to look at the tabby-and-white warrior. Something about her tone sounded off, and she hesitated just outside the entrance. “They met Rowanstar and some of his warriors by the border. He says he's looking for Tawnypelt.” Every cat froze. “They told him she was here, but not... you know.”

     Bramblestar hesitated, grief for his sister flashing in his eyes once more, then dipped his head. “Bring them in,” he rasped. As Lilyfrost ducked back outside the nest, the leader glanced back at Blazepaw. “Go get Dewfrost,” he ordered.

     The apprentice dipped his head, then quickly headed for the warrior's den. He poked his head inside, scanning the warriors within until he saw the familiar spiky gray pelt. “Dewfrost,” he called. The warrior looked up, ice-blue eyes blinking open sleepily. “Rowanstar is here.”

     Dewfrost was instantly awake. Without another word, she got to her paws, walking past Blazepaw and out of the den. He followed her.

     Cats were starting to gather, clearly having heard who was here. Rowanstar was in the nest, along with two tortoiseshell she-cats that Blazepaw didn't know. Dewfrost perked up immediately at the sight of them. “Olivenose! Specklefoot!” She bounded towards the warriors, purring and rubbing muzzles with her Clanmates. But Blazepaw's focus was on Rowanstar. The dark ginger tom looked ragged and skinny. Was that from looking and worrying over his mate? Or looking after his Clan after the flood? Either way, the ShadowClan leader didn't look very well.

     Rowanstar relaxed at the sight of Dewfrost. “I see you've been treating my warrior well enough,” he mewed gruffly to Bramblestar. “She looks well-fed, for a prisoner.”

     “She wasn't a prisoner,” Bramblestar said wearily, as though he'd already explained this. “She and Tawnypelt got lost, and it wasn't safe to take them back across the border into your territory, so we sheltered them here.”

     Dewfrost dipped her head to him. “ThunderClan has been very generous to me,” she told her leader.

     “I can see that.” His voice hardened. “But what I don't see is my mate. Where are you keeping her?”

     Blazepaw winced. He could see the the hard grief in Bramblestar's eyes. This had to be as hard to break to Rowanstar as it was for Rowanstar to hear. “Rowanstar, I'm so sorry. But Tawnypelt gave birth, and something went wrong. She's gone.”

     Rowanstar's eyes widened. He opened his jaws, but no sound came out. The leader swayed on his paws before Olivenose came to support him on one side. Blazepaw was stunned by how weak the tom suddenly looked. “Gone?” he whispered, his wide green eyes staring at nothing.

     “Yes. I'm so sorry, Rowanstar.” Bramblestar approached the ShadowClan leader, resting his head against Rowanstar's. For a moment, they didn't look like the leaders of enemy Clans. They looked like Clanmates, friends united in grief.

     Dewfrost, Olivenose, and Specklefoot watched their leader's grief with expressions soft with sympathy. “The kits are still alive, Rowanstar,” Dewfrost told him gently.

     Something lit up in Rowanstar's eyes. “Our kits...” A desperate light glowed in his eyes as he turned to ThunderClan's leader. “Bramblestar, where are they?”

     “The nursery. I'll take you there.” The broad-shouldered tabby rose to his paws and started towards the blocks, Rowanstar following on shaky legs. Blazepaw watched as they ascended up to the upper level.

     More cats began emerging from their dens, murmuring curiously. Snowpaw approached Blazepaw, blinking sleepily. “What's going on?” he asked.

     “Rowanstar is here,” he told his friend. “Bramblestar took him to see his kits.” Snowpaw stiffened, suddenly looking much more awake. They both looked up at the blocks, waiting.

     It took several minutes for the two leaders to return from the upper level. No cat spoke as they slowly descended down the blocks. Blazepaw noticed neither tom was carrying kits, to his surprise. Rowanstar broke off, returning to his Clanmates. He spoke to them in a low voice. Their voices rose in surprise, but a sharp mew from him silenced them. Rowanstar led his Clanmates to the entrance, but before they could leave, Dewfrost turned back to the ThunderClan cats. “Thank you for your hospitality,” she mewed quietly. “I will always be grateful for how ThunderClan sheltered us.”

     Bramblestar dipped his head to the spiky-furred warrior. “May StarClan go with you, Dewfrost,” he said respectfully. Dewfrost gave a small nod, then followed her leader out of the nest. There was a brief silence after the ShadowClan cats left. Blazepaw was wildly confused. Why hadn't they taken Tawnypelt's kits with them?

     After several moments, Bramblestar lifted his head. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here for a Clan meeting.” The few cats who hadn't been in the nest's clearing soon emerged from their dens and joined the crowd.

     “Rowanstar has come and taken Dewfrost back to ShadowClan,” he announced to all the listening cats. “But there is something else you must know. He, Squirrelflight, and I have spoken at length, and we have decided it would be best if Tawnypelt's kits were to remain with ThunderClan.”

     The crowd burst into confused cries. “He's leaving his kits?” Birchfall cried in shock. “Why in StarClan would any cat do that?”

     “Can't a queen from his Clan feed the kits?” Poppyfrost asked.

     Bramblestar shook his head. “There aren't any nursing queens in ShadowClan,” he explained. “Pinenose just weaned her kits, and Applefur and Dawnpelt's kits have been eating solid prey for moons. There would be no one to feed them.”

     “But why doesn't he just have us feed the kits until they're weaned, then send them to ShadowClan?” Berrynose demanded. “Doesn't he care about his own kits at all?” Similar cries rang out from the crowd, and Blazepaw had to agree. What kind of father would agree to let his kits be raised in another Clan? Lionblaze was worrying his pelt out over Silentpaw being in another Clan for one moon. How could Rowanstar even consider letting his enemies keep his kits all their lives?

     “Silence,” Bramblestar hissed. The cries reluctantly died down, replaced with grumbles and confused whispers. “What's done is done. The kits are ours. Squirrelflight and I will raise them along with Redkit. They will be our kits, and any cat who says they don't belong here will have to answer to me.” The dark tabby glared out at his Clanmates, a dangerous glint to his eyes. Blazepaw was surprised to see how protective Bramblestar already was of the kits. He and Squirrelflight must have bonded with them more in the half moon since she'd been nursing them than Blazepaw had thought.

     As the crowd muttered and grumbled to themselves, Daisy spoke up from the crowd. The fluffy she-cat looked nervous to speaking up in front of so many cats, but seemed to relax as she looked out and recognized all the Clanmates she was speaking to. “I lived at the horseplace for a long time before I joined ThunderClan, and my kits were born there,” she began. “But our loyalty is to ThunderClan, and it always will be. Don't doubt these kits because of where they were born. Give them a chance to grow into true ThunderClan warriors.” Bramblestar dipped his head in thanks to the queen.

     “Daisy's right,” Lionblaze added. “I'm half WindClan. Does any cat doubt my loyalty, or Jayfeather's?” No one seemed to want to argue that point. Cats looked away uncomfortably. “We might never know why Rowanstar gave up his own kits. But that's his own business. These kits deserve a home, and we can give them that.”

     It was clear the Clan wasn't totally satisfied, but no cat challenged Bramblestar again. Instead, Molefoot asked, “What will their names be?”

     “We discussed names with Rowanstar before he left,” Bramblestar explained. “We have named the she-kit Sunnykit, for the sun-drown journey that we shared with Tawnypelt.”

     “And the tom?” Ivypool asked.

     Bramblestar stared evenly back at her. “Shadowkit.”

      _After ShadowClan,_ Blazepaw thought uneasily. These kits might be raised in ThunderClan, but the tom's name proved that they would always have ties to ShadowClan. All of the doubts he had ever felt about the relationship between Clan and Clan came together now, making his stomach turn with fear. He leaned closer to Snowpaw, whispering, “But these are ShadowClan kits, surely. How can they ever belong in ThunderClan?”

     Snowpaw stiffened. In an unusually curt tone, he reminded Blazepaw, “Technically, Tawnypelt was a full-blooded ThunderClan with ThunderClan parents, even after she joined ShadowClan. So these kits are half ThunderClan. Just like me.” Blazepaw's eyes widened in horror as he realized what he'd just said. “I'm half kittypet, remember? Do you think I should be sitting on a cushion eating rabbit droppings somewhere?”

     “No, that's not what I meant,” Blazepaw hurried to assure his friend. “You and Amberpaw are warriors through and through. I just, I worry sometimes. The Clans seem to be getting more familiar than they should these days, and these kits just seem to prove it more than anything. How can we ever fight each other in battle like we're supposed to when we just start giving each other our kits?”

     The snow-white apprentice relaxed. He nudged his friend with his shoulder, telling him, “Trust in the warrior code. These kits may have ShadowClan blood, but they will be loyal to ThunderClan. Maybe they'll wrestle with their ancestry. Even probably. But in the end, they'll have to make a decision. Every cat does.”

     “But how could any cat ever fight his own kin?” Blazepaw demanded. There were so many cats with kin in different Clans. Bramblestar and these kits would have kin in ShadowClan. He, Lionblaze, and Jayfeather had kin in WindClan. Even the leader of RiverClan herself had kin in ThunderClan. So many cats with divided loyalties. How could any cat choose between their family and their Clan?

     Snowpaw told him, “Because in the end, the Clans aren't enemies. We fight when we have to, but there's a reason there have always been four Clans. Because when the danger is greatest, we will always stand together. The Clans have a loyalty to each other that is stronger than what keeps us apart. And in the end, when all is said and done, we will all belong to the same Clan.” He flicked his tail against Blazepaw's side, then padded off, leaving the ginger apprentice alone with his thoughts.

     The meeting was starting to break up. Cats were returning to their dens, still grumbling and muttering to themselves. Even though no one had challenged Bramblestar further, no cat seemed totally comfortable with raising the kits of another Clan's leader. Blazepaw had too many tangled thoughts to figure out how he felt about it anymore. After a few moments of watching Bramblestar retreat up the blocks to visit his new kits, Blazepaw finally turned away and trudged back to the apprentice's den.

     Snowpaw was already curled up in his nest next to Amberpaw. Lightpaw looked up when Blazepaw padded in, then returned his head onto his paws, closing his eyes. Beside him, Sparkpaw was snoring, his tail and paws twitching in his sleep. Blazepaw looked over his denmates briefly. None of the cats in front of him were pure ThunderClan. Two of them had a father who had been a kittypet, and the other two had parents with ties to the horseplace. He himself had both kittypet blood and WindClan blood. The Clans were mixing their blood more and more by the day.

     But all the cats in front of him were also undeniably loyal to ThunderClan. He would never question any of them, no matter how much or little he liked them. Maybe the Clans were becoming too familiar, but he knew that he could always trust his Clanmates to stand by his side. And that was what truly mattered.

     Content at last, and filled with excitement to go home, Blazepaw curled up in her nest, pulling his tail tight around his paws. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the excitement thrumming in his paws and drift off into sleep. Tawnypelt's kits would be true ThunderClan warriors, and tomorrow, they would get to see their true home for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and its plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.
> 
> Another one I've been wanting to write for a while, for probably obvious reasons. ^^
> 
> I'm sure this brings up plenty of questions about Rowanstar's motives. I won't give anything away yet. All I'll say is that everything will be explained in time.
> 
> So we finally have named for Tawnypelt's kits. Sunnykit will have green eyes when she grows up, and she'll have a fairly standard build. Shadowkit will be a large, muscular dark brown tabby with amber eyes (like pretty much every tom in his family :P) but with thick, jet-black stripes.
> 
> I intentionally tried to make Sunnykit and Shadowkit look like how Tawnykit and Bramblekit looked like back in the original series. Back when Tawnykit was actually tawny/pale ginger instead of tortoiseshell. I like her tortoiseshell description better, but I decided to give her daughter the tawny/pale ginger description that Tawnypelt lost.
> 
> Only two chapters left, one with Silentpaw, one with Blazepaw.


	27. Chapter Twenty Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silentpaw returns to ThunderClan.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Twenty Five

     Morning had come, and it was time for Silentpaw to return to ThunderClan. As Mistystar and a few other cats waited by the entrance, ready to escort her, the apprentice said her goodbyes to the rest of the Clan.

     “Are you sure you won't stay?” Pondbreeze asked sadly as Silentpaw touched noses with him. “You'd be welcome here, you really would, and we could hunt together.”

     Silentpaw purred in amusement. “I'm sorry, I can't,” she told him. “I belong with ThunderClan. But I'll see you at the next Gathering for sure.”

     She went from cat to cat, touching noses and purring and nuzzling. The RiverClan cats wove around her, wishing her luck and other affectionate farewells.

     “Stay out of trouble,” Minnowtail purred, bumping Silentpaw's shoulder with her muzzle.

     Robinwing touched noses with her gruffly, telling her, “I'll keep working on that bird stalking you showed me.”

     Lakekit padded up to the apprentice, staring at her with wide eyes. “I'll see you at the next Gathering, won't I?” he asked quietly. “When I'm an apprentice?”

     Silentpaw privately wondered whether she'd ever go to a Gathering again by the time Bramblestar was done with her, but she didn't voice that concern to the kit. Instead, she gave him a swift lick between the ears. “Of course,” she promised. “You keep working on that crouch and pounce I taught you. You'll be a great warrior one day, I just know it.” Lakekit purred, tail curling with delight.

     All of RiverClan seemed to have come out to say their goodbyes. None of them were fools. They all knew that she might have to face her in battle one day. But, at least for the moment, they didn't care. This was a moment for saying farewell to friends, not a parting of enemies. Silentpaw was more grateful than she could say for the warmth her RiverClan friends were showing her now. She wanted this last morning in RiverClan's camp to be a happy one.

     Even Yarrowleaf was civil as she dutifully touched noses with him. “Try not to fall down a rabbit hole on the way back,” he said in what passed for a friendly tone for him.

     The she-cat let out a _mrowrr_ of laughter. “And don't you get stuck up any trees, fishface,” she teased. She still didn't like the aggressive tom, but she wasn't going to let that spoil her last day.

     Finpaw was the last cat to come to say her goodbyes. She stood before Silentpaw, tail-tip twitching. “I guess I'll see you at the Gathering,” she mewed gruffly. “May StarClan light your path, Silentpaw.”

     Silentpaw purred, touching her nose to Finpaw even as the she-cat stiffened in surprise. “And yours,” she said with sincere warmth. Finpaw wasn't exactly a friend. But she had a lot more respect for Finpaw than she had before she'd come to RiverClan, and she was pretty sure the feeling was mutual. Either way, she would be glad to see Finpaw at the next Gathering.

     “Silentpaw.” Mistystar's call was gentle, but firm. “It's time to go.”

     The apprentice hesitated. She wanted to linger, to speak more with the cats who had sheltered her for a moon. But she knew Mistystar was right. ThunderClan was her home, and she needed to return. Even now, the need for home tugged at her paws, longing for the trees and birdsong and leaves of the forest. She paused before the RiverClan cats, dipping her head deeply to them. “May StarClan walk with all of you,” she told them warmly. “I will not forget the friends I have made here.” She lingered a moment longer, then turned and joined Mistystar, hearing the cats calling warm farewells behind her as they crossed the stream out of RiverClan's camp and made their way into the territory.

     As they walked along, Silentpaw asked, “So, which way are we going?”

     “We'll be passing through WindClan's territory,” Mistystar replied. “Reedwhisker is sending a patrol to tell Rowanstar about our plan to build a pebble-bridge to the Gathering island. We will be the patrol to tell Ashstar. Once we've delivered the news, she will grant us passage through her territory to ThunderClan's border, and we can deliver you safely to your Clan.”

     Silentpaw nodded. “Alright.” She fell silent, consumed with thoughts of her Clan.

     She and the leader were not the only cats on the patrol. Petalfur was there as well, the only full warrior there. The other cat there was Eelpaw. He had asked Mistystar to accompany Silentpaw on her way home, and the leader had accepted. Silentpaw was definitely grateful as she and the sleek tom padded side by side, chatting and joking in RiverClan's territory one last time. She would see Eelpaw again, but it was nice to know that he would walk with her to the end of the line before saying goodbye.

     Rabbit-scent became was clear to smell in the air as they passed into WindClan territory. Silentpaw padded along, sniffing the air curiously. The last time she had been here, it had been raining too hard to sense much of anything. Now she wanted the chance to explore. But Mistystar called out with a hiss when she wandered too far, forcing her to return to the patrol.

     They didn't made it far into WindClan's territory before a patrol found them. They were surrounded by skinny, snarling cats, tails lashing and claws unsheathed. Silentpaw crouched beside Eelpaw, growling and puffing out her fur to look larger. She didn't want to fight these cats, but if it came to it, she would defend her friends.

     “Mistystar. Greetings,” a male warrior growled. “What brings you to our territory?”

     The leader lifted her head. “Greetings, Harespring,” she mewed coolly. “We are here to speak to Ashstar.”

     “Then why bring a fighting patrol?” another voice, deeper and gruffer, asked. Silentpaw stiffened in surprise at how familiar and strange the growl was all at once. His scent was familiar too, carrying traces of moorland that she knew as well as her own scent. There was only one cat this could be. _Crowfeather._ Her father's father. Normally, she would be thrilled to meet her kin in another Clan, but now, she stiffened in fear. What if he recognized Lionblaze's scent on her pelt?

     Silentpaw backed up slowly as Mistystar answered, trying to discreetly keep away from Crowfeather. She was so focused on the gruff tom, she didn't notice Darkbreeze until she backed into her. The warrior recoiled with a growl of surprise, and Silentpaw heard Mistystar stiffen. Clearly, she didn't trust Silentpaw's kin not to give her away.

     Darkbreeze backed up with a snarl, lashing her tail and baring her fangs as Silentpaw. “Watch it, fishface,” she growled. Silentpaw forced back a purr, scrambling away like the warrior's growl had truly intimidated her. Darkbreeze had protected her identity, as she'd known she would.

     Mistystar relaxed ever so slightly in relief, then turned her attention back to Harespring. “We have an important matter to discuss with her. I promise you, we mean your Clan no harm.”

     Harespring hesitated, then gave a reluctant nod. “Very well. We'll lead you to Ashstar. But we'll be watching you. Make one wrong move, and you're crowfood.” He whirled around, lashing his tail as he and his warriors led the RiverClan patrol through the moor.

     They were led to a dip in the surface of the moor, which seemed to have little in the way of dens or protection. Silentpaw flattened her ears. “How do they live out in the open like this?” she hissed to Eelpaw. “Everything's so exposed! I can't imagine feeling safe enough to sleep.” Eelpaw grunted in agreement, but Petalfur silenced them with a sharp hiss.

     Ashstar padded out to greet them. There were warriors grouped around her – one of them smelled vaguely familiar, but Silentpaw couldn't place the scent. “Greetings, Mistystar,” the skinny leader mewed coolly. “What brings you to WindClan today?”

     Mistystar dipped her head in polite greeting. “I have come to bring you important news, Ashstar.”

     Briefly, she explained her plan for the pebble-bridge. Ashstar seemed to relax as Mistystar went on, her ears perked with interest. “You really think it will work?” she questioned.

     “It seems to be working so far,” Mistystar replied.

     Silentpaw's attention wandered from the leaders' discussion. She had never been in WindClan's camp before – she wanted to explore a little. Carefully, Silentpaw snuck away from the gathered cats, sniffing around the camp. It seemed terribly exposed – there were very few dens, only a few scraggly bushes here and there, and most of the moss nests seemed to be out in the open. Great StarClan? Did these cats sleep without any den at all?

     She was so focused on trying to scent everything in the camp that she wasn't paying attention to where she set her paws. Without warning, the ground dipped under her paws, and her forelegs slipped down into a hole in the ground, her chest hitting the dirt floor hard. Claws raked at her paws, forcing her to draw them back quickly. “Paws out of our den!” an old voice rasped. Silentpaw was mortified as she realized she had fallen into the elder's den.

     “Sorry!” she squeaked. She scrambled back onto her paws, giving her legs a quick lick where the elder's claws had caught them, and began slinking back towards the RiverClan patrol. The apprentice didn't need sight to know that every cat was now staring at her.

     Ashstar's voice seemed to carry amusement as she told Mistystar, “I'd appreciate it if you kept a closer eye on your apprentice.”

     “I will,” Mistystar said evenly. She flicked her tail sharply, clearly annoyed, as Silentpaw rejoined the group. Silentpaw understood her frustration – she had just drawn unnecessary attention to herself, which increased her chances of being caught. But something Ashstar had said drew her attention away from that. _”If you kept a closer eye on your apprentice.”_ Ashstar had thought Silentpaw was an apprentice of RiverClan, without question.

     Silentpaw twisted her head around and gave her pelt a quick sniff. There were faint traces of forest and leaves, and even fainter traces of moorland and kittypet. But the overwhelming smell that clung to her pelt was the fish-and-water scent of RiverClan. No wonder Ashstar was fooled – if they were as blind as Silentpaw, her own Clanmates might not even recognize her. Strange how much could change in a moon. Somehow, though, she didn't mind. It even warmed her to think that cats might think she belonged to RiverClan, even if only for a while. It made her feel closer to her friends.

     While she had been sniffing, Ashstar and Mistystar were wrapping up their discussion. “Thank you for letting me know, Mistystar,” Ashstar said in a much more relaxed tone than she had began with. “When your warriors inform us of the bridge's completion, we shall ready a patrol for the Gathering. May it be done by the next full moon.”

     “That's the hope,” Mistystar replied. “My warriors will be in touch. Now, we need to deliver this news to ThunderClan as well. We must be on our way.”

     Ashstar nodded. “Very well. I'll send a warrior with you.” Silentpaw stiffened. If WindClan warriors went with them, it would look suspicious if the RiverClan cats dropped off Silentpaw at the border.

     To her relief, Darkbreeze spoke up. “I'll go,” she called out, coming to stand before her leader. Silentpaw worked hard to hide her relief. She was starting to lose count of how often Darkbreeze had saved her pelt.

     “Very well,” Ashstar agreed easily. “May StarClan see us at next moon's Gathering.”

     Mistystar mewed a quick agreement, then raised her tail, a clear signal for her warriors to follow. She waited as the patrol gathered around her, Darkbreeze beside them, then set off towards ThunderClan's border. Silentpaw tried not to show it, but her paws were thrumming with excitement. She was almost home!

     As they set off, Darkbreeze came to walk beside her and Eelpaw. “You just can't stop getting yourself in trouble, can you?” Darkbreeze purred. “That was a close call back there, with the elders. I thought for sure someone was going to recognize you.”

     “Me too,” Silentpaw admitted. When Eelpaw growled beside her, she remembered he didn't know the WindClan warrior. “Eelpaw, this is Darkbreeze. Darkbreeze, Eelpaw. She's my kin,” she told the RiverClan apprentice. “She helped me find your territory during the flood.”

     Eelpaw relaxed, if only a little. “Nice to meet you,” he said stiffly.

     “Likewise,” Darkbreeze greeted cheerfully. She didn't seem to notice Eelpaw's tone at all.

     To try and distract from Eelpaw, Silentpaw asked, “So, how are things in WindClan?”

     “Fantastic!” Darkbreeze's tail shot up high with joy as she told Silentpaw, “Nightfern came home.”

     Silentpaw blinked in shock. “You found her?” After a moon of being missing, she'd assumed Darkbreeze's sister wasn't going to be found, though she had tried to hope for her friend's sake. The familiar scent of that one cat in WindClan's camp suddenly made sense – it had smelled like Darkbreeze, but hadn't been her. That must have been Nightfern. “I'm so happy for you! Where was she this whole time?”

     Darkbreeze explained, “ShadowClan, of all places! She got lost during the storm and wandered into their territory. They've been letting her stay there until the water went down enough for travel to be safe.”

      _ShadowClan?_ It was surprising, but the more Silentpaw thought about it, the more it made a strange kind of sense. All four Clans had been affected by the storm, and cats had taken shelter where they could, regardless of the boundaries between them. The storm really had washed away the borders, in more ways than one.

     Silentpaw, Darkbreeze, and eventually Eelpaw talked the rest of the way to ThunderClan's border. But finally, the open skies were gone, and they were in the trees once more. It didn't take long for them to finally reach the border. Silentpaw could finally smell ThunderClan again. Her entire pelt was quivering with joy. She was almost home, it was so close, close enough to taste.

     “Do you want us to escort you back to camp?” Mistystar asked.

     She shook her head. “I can make it from here.” The scents were all so familiar, and now that wasn't raining, she could navigate her own territory with ease.

     Now that they were at the border, and Silentpaw had decided to go on alone, it was time to say her final goodbyes. Petalfur touched noses briefly with her and wished her luck, then backed off so Silentpaw could say goodbye to the three cats she had come to care most about in her stay at RiverClan.

     Mistystar leaned down, purring loudly as she rubbed muzzles with the young apprentice. “I'll miss you, young cat,” she rumbled. “We may be in different Clans, but I will watch your progress with pride.”

     Silentpaw purred. “I'll practice those moves you showed me,” she promised. She grew serious for a moment, trying to find the words to express her gratitude. “You're a great leader, Mistystar,” she finally said. “Thank you for giving me a home in RiverClan.”

     “Thank you for helping my Clan when we needed it most,” Mistystar replied. They touched noses one last time, then Mistystar left her with the younger cats.

     Eelpaw jammed his nose roughly against Silentpaw's, as though eager to get the farewell over with. “I'll miss hunting with you,” he mewed gruffly, but Silentpaw heard the catch in his voice, as though he were trying to keep from mewling like a kit.

     She purred, giving his ear a fond lick. “I'll miss you too, you old grump,” she told him. He relaxed, purring in reply. Silentpaw pulled back. “See you at the next Gathering?”

     “See you at the next Gathering,” he clarified. With that, he turned and rejoined his Clanmates. The RiverClan cats started off back into WindClan territory. In a few moments, they were gone, and for a terrifying moment, it was like they had never been there at all.

     Darkbreeze still stood with her on the border. “I bet you'll be glad to finally be home, huh?” the WindClan warrior asked.

     Silentpaw nodded. “More than I can say,” she answered honestly.

     “Listen, we're not Clanmates or anything, but would you want to meet up sometime to just talk and hang out?” Darkbreeze asked. “Here, by the border.”

     The apprentice's tail curled. “That sounds great,” she told Darkbreeze. It would be great to be back in ThunderClan, but with Dewpaw dead, the apprentice's den was going to feel a little too empty for a while. It would be nice to have a friend.

     Silentpaw and Darkbreeze touched noses, then Silentpaw turned and padded away into ThunderClan's territory, leaving her friend behind on the border.

     The farther she walked along, the more familiar everything seemed. The joy was building and building inside her chest, until she felt almost ready to burst. Silentpaw took off at a run, hurling herself through the trees and ferns and brambles that she had missed for so long. As she ran, she could almost imagine the RiverClan scent rolling off her like fur shedding water. She would never forget the friends she had in RiverClan, or WindClan, and she would always keep those friendships through whatever battles and hardships were to come. But she belonged to ThunderClan, and now, finally, she was back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: This was written before Bramblestar's Storm was even announced. Any similarities to Bramblestar's Storm and its plot are pure coincidence, you can check the dates, please don't kill me.
> 
> Here, we finally end Silentpaw's side of this book. Just one more chapter with Blazepaw, then onto the new book.
> 
> So yeah, Silentpaw has said goodbye to RiverClan and is back in ThunderClan's territory. And Nightfern is back in WindClan! :D Good for her, and for Darkbreeze.
> 
> Once Faded Boundaries is done, I will release a cover for the new book, then I will start with the prologue and the first few chapters. I probably won't post the new allegiances until I finish drawing all the cats from the old one. A little odd, but I want all the drawings done before I post it.
> 
> Also, something I sort of hinted at but didn't want to say in the text itself - Pondbreeze has a little bit of a crush on Silentpaw. ^^ She has no idea, though, and doesn't feel the same way. He'll get past it soon enough. Just thought it was a cute little detail I wanted to share.


	28. Chapter Twenty Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ThunderClan returns to their camp.

Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War  
Book 1: Faded Boundaries  
Chapter Twenty Six

     “Blazepaw? Wake up.”

     A paw poked his side. The apprentice wrinkled his nose, curling into an even tighter ball. Nearby, an apprentice growled. “We're leaving soon. Get up!” Blazepaw jolted awake when claws poked hard at his pelt.

     “I'm awake,” he yelped, his head snapping up. Amberpaw was in front of him, whiskers twitching with amusement, and one paw raised with claws unsheathed. “What was that for?”

     Amberpaw purred, lowering her paw. “We're leaving today, remember?”

     Blazepaw felt a burst of energy. He leaped to his paws, suddenly fully awake and ready to do. “Great StarClan, I forgot.” The ache for home was suddenly stronger than ever, almost too much to bear. He wanted to be back in the stone hollow more than he could say. “Come on, let's go see what's going on.” He and Amberpaw hurried out of the den, out into the clearing of the nest.

     Cats were moving everywhere, dismantling dens, carrying bedding and prey, collecting what would still be useful for dens in the stone hollow. Bramblestar stood by the entrance, supervising the work. He spotted Blazepaw and Amberpaw and waved them over. “Amberpaw, the elders need help clearing out their den, could you help out?” She gave a brisk nod and padded off. “Blazepaw, can you carry Shadowkit? Squirrelflight and I will have our paws full with Sunnykit and Redkit.”

     The apprentice blinked in surprise. Bramblestar trusted him to carry his adopted son? He dipped his head, trying to mask his pleasure. “Yes, Bramblestar,” he agreed. “When are we leaving?”

     “Once all the dens are broken down and every cat is ready to go,” his leader told him. “Now go. The queens are busy with the den, they'll need someone to look after the kits.”

     Blazepaw gave a final nod, then turned and headed off for the upper level, bounding easily up the blocks. Cats were working up there as well, elders and queens pitching in. Dovewing noticed Blazepaw as she passed him. “Oh, Blazepaw, can you look after the kits for a minute?” she asked. “I can't watch them and work at the same time.”

     He flicked an ear in acknowledgment, then headed towards the nursery. Daisy, Squirrelflight, and Hazeltail were all working, and the kits were all watching curiously, Finchkit making sure they didn't wander off too far. “What's everyone doing?” Ripplekit squeaked, looking around with wide blue eyes.

     “Gathering materials for the dens back at camp,” Blazepaw told him. He approached the kits, sitting beside them. Finchkit gave him a grateful nod as Blazepaw took over being in charge of the little kits. Hazeltail's son had been subdued ever since his sister's death. He hardly spoke unless he had to, and he seemed far more mature than he had been a moon ago, always respectful to the older warriors. Blazepaw knew Hazeltail was worried about him – he tried to stick by her paws as much as possible, but she pushed him to play with the other kits.

     Skykit's eyes were wide with confusion. “But isn't this our camp?” Shadowkit and Sunnykit were crouched, sniffing and watching the older cats, completely ignoring the conversation of the older kits. Redkit was beside them, blinking her kitten-blue eyes. They had only opened two days ago.

     Blazepaw shook his head, explaining, “We came to live in this nest because a storm drove us out of our camp. We live in a stone hollow, with walls that stretch far over any cat's heads, under the shelter of trees. There's no roof over our heads, or twoleg stench.” He felt a pang of regret. Other than Finchkit, these kits had never known any home except the twoleg nest. They would be more at home in a kittypet's nest than the stone hollow.

     “But I don't want to leave,” Ripplekit wailed. “Can't we stay here?”

     He crouched beside Ripplekit, giving the tabby kit an friendly purr. “No, Ripplekit,” he told him. “We belong in the stone hollow. Don't worry, you'll like it there. There's so much more room to play moss ball.”

     Ripplekit's eyes lit up with joy. All reservations about the new camp were instantly gone. “Will you play moss ball with me when we get there?” he asked eagerly.

     Blazepaw purred in amusement. “Of course,” he promised.

     He was so intent on Ripplekit that he didn't realize Finchkit was trembling until his tail brushed against the golden tabby kit. Blazepaw looked up at him in surprise. “Are you alright?” he asked.

     “Fine,” the kit mumbled.

     Blazepaw sat up, looking down at Finchkit anxiously. Hazeltail's kit seemed even more subdued than usual, and there was a frantic, panicked glow to his eyes. “Are you sure?” he pressed.

     Finchkit looked up at him, his amber eyes wide as he trembled. “Blazepaw, I don't want to go home,” he admitted. “If I go back to the hollow, all I'm going to see is Petalkit.” Blazepaw flinched, sympathy welling up for the kit in his chest. “I'll have to sleep in the same den, next to her empty nest. Every time I see the walls of the hollow, I'll just remember Petalkit falling.” He suddenly looked so small and vulnerable, his whole body trembling as he gazed desperately up at Blazepaw.

     He settled down beside the golden tabby. “Oh Finchkit, I'm so sorry,” he breathed. Grief for Dewpaw, and for Petalkit, hit him harder than it had in moons. “Death is a part of Clan life. There are always going to be empty nests beside you and faces you won't ever see in the hollow again. But the memories you have there don't have to be a bad thing. Remember the good times you had, and be grateful you got to have those days with Petalkit.”

     “She deserved so much more than she got,” Finchkit whispered, shutting his eyes tight in pain.

     Blazepaw replied, “I know. And it's not fair. But you can't change it, and you still have a life to live. Don't spend it mourning the dead.” He got to his paws. “Talk to Snowpaw or Amberpaw. They'll be sleeping beside an empty nest too.”

     Finchkit hesitated, then nodded. He still didn't look totally happy, but at least he seemed calmer.

     Blazepaw stayed with the kits as the queens worked, keeping them entertained with stories and letting them play with his tail. He made sure they didn't wander off and bother the queens.

     After a few minutes, Lightpaw and Snowpaw joined him. “We're leaving very soon,” Lightpaw told Blazepaw as they sat with the kits. “We're suppose to carry Dovewing's kits. She's helping Jayfeather with his herbs.”

     “Alright.” Blazepaw glanced between the two of them, asking, “Are you ready to be home?”

     Lightpaw ducked his head shyly. “Yes,” he admitted. “I can't wait to sleep in the real apprentice's den.”

     Snowpaw nodded as well. He glanced around the den, mewing, “This nest is still too suffocating. I want to live under the open sky again.”

     “It's not so bad, now that I'm used to it,” Blazepaw replied. “But I know what you mean. There's not enough room here.”

     The white apprentice raised his head proudly. “I'm almost at the end of my training. I want to earn my warrior name beneath the High Ledge, where I can see Dewpaw watching me in Silverpelt above, not beneath a roof in a place stinking of twolegs.” With a glance at the kits, he added, “And I want to see these kits grow up in our home, not this place.”

     Blazepaw nodded. Living in the camp would definitely bring back memories of Dewpaw. It would be hard seeing all the places they had hunted and played together, and the place where his nest had been. But eventually that pain would fade. There would be new apprentices, new warriors, new nests. Life moved forward.

     The only thing still bugging him was whether Silentpaw would ever come back. The next time he saw her, would she be coming home, or would it be at the Gathering, as an apprentice of RiverClan? He knew it was Silentpaw's choice, and he couldn't influence it at all. But he also knew that he missed his sister more than anything. All he could do was hope she decided to return.

**SCENEBREAK**

     Finally, everything was ready. All the dens had been broken down, and all the nests cleared out. The twoleg nest looked as empty and broken as it had been when they'd first arrived. Blazepaw stared at it, almost sad to be leaving. He much preferred the stone hollow, but the twoleg nest had made a good home while it lasted.

     Bramblestar was at the front of the Clan, Squirrelflight bringing up the rear. Once the leader was satisfied that everyone was ready, he called to his Clan, “ThunderClan, let's go home.”

     They made their way through the forest as a group, the young helping the old, the strong carrying the weak. Blazepaw felt a rush of pride as he saw Amberpaw helped Spiderleg limp along on his stiff limbs, and Snowpaw carrying Skykit. This was what it meant to be part of a Clan. They all worked together, standing together in the face of whatever threats they might face.

     He looked down at the kit in his jaws. Shadowkit was growing fast; he was already much larger than his sister. With his dark brown fur and broad build, he looked more and more like Bramblestar every day. There another cat he looked like too, if the legends about Bramblestar's father were true. Little Shadowkit likely wouldn't face as much opposition for looking like Tigerstar as Bramblestar had in his youth. But he would no doubt face his own challenges and his own doubts. A ShadowClan leader's kit in ThunderClan would never have an entirely trouble-free life. Both Shadowkit and Sunnykit would have to work hard to prove themselves to ThunderClan. But Blazepaw knew that Bramblestar and Squirrelflight would be beside them every step of the way, and so would the Three, their kin. It would be a hard battle, but their family would be there for them every step of the way. And eventually, they would be full, accepted members of ThunderClan.

     Blazepaw looked forward, purring around the lump of fur in his mouth. The flood was over. Things had undoubtedly changed. Relationships between Clan and Clan had shifted. He didn't know whether they would ever be the same again. Probably. The Clans had always been enemies, and one flood wasn't likely to change that. But he also knew the Clans would stand together when the need was greatest. Maybe his sister had been right, after all. He didn't know how the flood and its changes would affect him and his Clan. But whatever was ahead, he knew ThunderClan would face it, and beat it, just like they always did. They had weathered this storm, and they would weather whatever else came at them.

     He lifted his head proudly. The hard times were over. The future looked bright for ThunderClan.

END OF BOOK ONE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I tried. This an incredibly short chapter. But I don't mind too much for this one. I said what needed to be said.
> 
> Anyway, Faded Boundaries is complete. I'll upload the chapters I have completed, but the next story is still in progress.


End file.
